Psalm 148 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 148 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
Verse 2Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host!
Verse 3Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars!
Verse 4Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
Verse 5Let them praise the name of the Lord, for he commanded and they were created.
Verse 6He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.
Verse 7Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps,
Verse 8fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command!
Verse 9Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
Verse 10Wild animals and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!
Verse 11Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
Verse 12Young men and women alike, old and young together!
Verse 13Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.
Verse 14He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his faithful, for the people of Israel who are close to him. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
Today's psalm gives us an amazing view of the wonders that God has done. In fact as we read this psalm, we hear the creation story. The repeated call to praise reminds us that God is the one who should be praised for it all. The exclamations emphasize God's power and awesomeness. In these days after Christmas we can easily ride this wave of amazement. We have seen everyone come to a full church, we have gathered with family and friends for meals and sharing gifts and we have witnessed the Spirit enter into our hearts to do some amazing things that we do not normally see. Sadly, we may feel like it was a dream. We may wonder, "Did it really happen?" Then we close our eyes and remember the smiles, hear the songs and that feeling of God's love comes over us again. Today, let us enjoy the wonder with which God has blessed us. For truly, this is the season to celebrate God's gift to us!
Prayer
Good and gracious God, we give you thanks for the amazing wonder of this creation. You have given us so much to enjoy, but also to share with family, friends and future generations. Open our eyes, our hearts and our minds to the amazing work that you are still doing among us. Let us be your instruments of love and peace this season. Amen.