Praise God

Praise the Lord, all you nations; 

extol him, all you peoples.

For great is his love toward us, 

and the faithfulness of the Lord 

endures forever. 

Praise the Lord                       Psalm 117

Psalm 117 is the shortest psalm in the Psalter, and the shortest chapter in the Bible. It is an extended Hallelujah!

The NIV study notes remind of the great truth that the destiny of all peoples is involved in what God was doing in and for His people Israel.

This is true today. The politically-correct, anti-discriminative world is fast disintegrating. The world is marshalling its forces against God’s people. God will not be without response. Being aware, I shall pray for this world situation but I have no clear knowledge of the outcome. Can prayer bring God’s intervention to avert global disharmony? Or are we truly in that time when the world will literally fall into disorder and chaos?

I’m not going to anguish about this, but surrender it to God in prayer. And my God is faithful. His faithfulness endures forever, and it is partnered by His great love.

Everyone is exhorted to praise the Lord. All the peoples are to extol Him. Do I see this happening? Not yet! But I can praise and extol Him. I can believe (even though I feel this is not yet the case) that His whole church will praise and extol him. And I can pray for and anticipate that day when the whole world – all the nations – will praise the Lord, and all peoples will extol Him.

How good it is to be a child of God, to be loved – greatly, consumingly – by this great, great love and to live in the cover of the faithfulness of the Almighty – forever.

Lord God,

I thank You and I lift Your name. I praise You to the highest heavens. I extol Your great and glorious being. I thank You for Your love and faithfulness.

Precious Lord, I commit myself to You again this day. I look to You for direction and leading. My present and my future are in Your hands. I rejoice! Great is my God.

Lord, I pray for Your chosen people, the Jews. I pray peace and enlightenment for them. I pray a way forward from present fears and adversities,

I pray for all the nations of the earth. I pray that Your time is soon to reclaim the whole world for Yourself.

Lord, mighty God, You are supreme. You are Alpha and Omega. All things are Yours and all respond to Your working.

Take this world, my loving Father, and love it. Love it in Your own unique way. Draw it to You. Draw me to You, in Jesus’ name I ask.           Amen.