What is praise?
by Peter Bean
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He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump (Psalm 113:7).
Read Psalm 113
No doubt, this psalm is a psalm of praise! The word ‘praise’ (the Lord) is used three times in the first verse – five times altogether. Most of the psalm is about how wonderful God is – the usual things you think of when you want to give praise.
But then there are verses 7 to 9. As the Lord looks at Earth, what does this generous, wonderful God do? Lifts the vulnerable. Goes out searching for those who are not doing so well. And places them among princes. High and exalted. A totally different place from where they were. Praise the Lord, indeed.
How do you praise the Lord? Do you sing praise songs or hymns? Do you tell God what a wonderful God he is? Bless the name of the Lord? All good and worthy things to do. But it seems there is more. The psalmist is very much in line with many of the prophets. Seek justice, help the oppressed (Isaiah 1), turn your courts into true halls of justice (Amos 5), act with love and justice (Hosea 12), and many more!
Lift the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump! How does that work out in your life? Or is the psalmist unrealistic and doesn’t understand your situation? Perhaps we need to examine ourselves and, in doing so, recognise we might even be the poor and needy – possibly not in a physical sense, but perhaps in a spiritual sense.
And then we can know that Jesus Christ indeed lifts us up to be princes and princesses in his kingdom. So, we can sing our praise songs. But perhaps we can give even more praise by looking around us – at our society – and, as we are able, lifting the poor and needy. I reckon the Lord would enjoy that sort of praise!
Thank you, gracious Lord, for lifting us up. Help us look for opportunities to uplift others and give you praise. Amen.
Spring has sprung. Flowers are displaying their colours; fruit is forming on the trees. There is new growth everywhere. Peter prays that as you observe this wonderful new life, may you revel in the new beginnings God offers you each day. As Peter continues to meander his way through the psalms, he invites you to read them anew, applying them to your lives. If you would like his paraphrase of any psalm (from 1 to 91), send your request to pbean087@gmail.com
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