Praising Scripture - Dec 12

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

BOA.1
ACT.24

2024 31-Day Praising Day 12:

Lift Up Your Hands in Praise to God (Psalm 63:1-11)
(Memory Verses 2-4)

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Reflection:
Psalm 63 is another prayer and song of praise written by David while he was fleeing from enemies. Although he was in a desolate wilderness, David’s heart still earnestly sought the Lord, just as he had gazed upon Him in the sanctuary, beholding His power and glory. David recognized that God's "lovingkindness is better than life," and he was assured that, as a child of God Who has received such steadfast love, nothing could cause him anxiety or worry. God’s lovingkindness alone satisfies all of our hunger and thirst, and nothing can separate us from it.
As David remembered this truth, his heart was "satisfied as with marrow and fatness," and he could praise the Lord with his lips and lift up his hands in God’s name, even in the wilderness. David's experience shows us that only by faith can we lift up our hands in prayer, and also bless God's people, just as a priest offers blessings. A sincere longing for God, combined with prayer and praise, will surely lift up our hearts, fill us with God's lovingkindness, grant us peace and strength, and empower us to raise our hands, offering thanksgiving and praise to Him.
Dear brothers and sisters, in our daily practice of gratitude and praise, let us wholeheartedly seek the Lord, praise Him with our lips, and lift up our hands in prayer, thanksgiving, and worship!