Praising Scripture - Dec 17

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

MIC.5-6
ROM.1

2024 31-Day Praising Day 17:

Offer Praise as a Sacrifice to God (Psalm 69:29-36)
(Memorize Verses 29-31)

29 But I am poor and sorrowful;
Let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high.
30 I will praise the name of God with a song,
And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull,
Which has horns and hooves.
32 The humble shall see this and be glad;
And you who seek God, your hearts shall live.
33 For the Lord hears the poor,
And does not despise His prisoners.
34 Let heaven and earth praise Him,
The seas and everything that moves in them.
35 For God will save Zion
And build the cities of Judah,
That they may dwell there and possess it.
36 Also, the descendants of His servants shall inherit it,
And those who love His name shall dwell in it.

Reflection:
Psalm 69 is a lament written by David, expressing his trust in God as he looks to Him for deliverance from suffering and persecution. This psalm transforms from a cry of sorrow into a song of praise, and parts of it also serve as Messianic foreshadowing in the New Testament. After presenting his anguish and fervent plea before God, David reaches a turning point in verse 29: “But I am poor and sorrowful; let Your salvation, O God, set me up on high!” Yes, in times of pain, we must fix our eyes on the unchanging salvation of the Lord and the loving countenance of God. His salvation has the power to rescue us from all darkness and to set us on high!
With this glorious shift, David begins to offer praise as a sacrifice to God: “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which has horns and hooves.” Praise the Lord, for such worship pleases God! Through this praise, David gains renewed strength in his spirit and calls on all the humble, those who seek God, the poor, and the prisoners to join in praising the Lord. He extends this invitation to all creation and the whole earth to praise God because He will protect all those who love His name and establish them for generations to dwell in Zion and the cities of Judah.
Therefore, let us learn to praise the mighty name of God in every situation. Even in difficult circumstances, through our praise, like David, we can experience the Lord’s deliverance, turning our laments into songs of joy.