Intro: There have been many great leaders throughout history, but there has never been nor will there ever be a human being who serves as the perfect savior. Jesus is the only one who can save the world, because every human is tempted by sin and subject to death. Our confidence must be placed in God alone and he has promised to save us by grace through faith; a gift from God (Eph 2:8). Praise the Lord!
In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us our greatest praise of God is not the words we speak or the songs we sing, but the TRUST we place in his love to take care of us. Not only are we revealing the inner trust of our hearts to the Lord, but we are revealing to others through our attitude and actions our trust in him as Savior. This is our witness. God can be trusted when others cannot; he is a champion of justice and reveals his passion for the truth. Therefore, he takes care of the oppressed while he frustrates the plans of the wicked; he causes them to lose their way. There is no GPS to recalculate when God detours the intentions of the wicked. Praise the Lord!
There are many wonderful things about praise, but let’s revisit just a few. Praise lifts our focus from our problems and onto our all-powerful Lord and Helper. So, stop fixating on your challenges and instead praise the Lord for his ongoing salvation; this is an act of faith and trust. Praise helps us focus on the flawless character of God and opens our eyes to his work in our lives. When we are struggling with the lack of integrity in other humans, remain confident that God’s character and love for you is expressed in perfection and he is the One who is meeting your needs. Praise encourages us to focus on the eternal things of heaven. Spurgeon once declared while preaching, “We cannot be too firm in the holy resolve to praise God, for it is the chief end of our living and being that we should glorify God and enjoy him for ever.” You were created to bring honor, glory, and praise to the Creator. Stay the course, because the Savior is leading the Way. Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146
1
Praise the Lord!
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
2
I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
3
Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
there is no help for you there.
4
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
and all their plans die with them.
5
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6
He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
7
He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
8
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
The Lord loves the godly.
9
The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10
The Lord will reign forever.
He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the Lord!
Prayer: Lord, I praise you for your love and promises that will never fail; for opening my eyes to see your goodness. You truly liberate me from the excruciating weight of being my own savior. Joyful am I with you as my Helper each day. Praise you, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.