Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Evangelical Lutheran Worship 858)
1 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,
the King of creation!
O my soul, praise him, for he is your health and salvation!
Let all who hear now to his temple draw near,
joining in glad adoration!
2 Praise to the Lord, who o’er all things is wondrously reigning
and, as on wings of an eagle, uplifting, sustaining.
Have you not seen all that is needful has been
sent by his gracious ordaining?
3 Praise to the Lord, who will prosper your work and defend you;
surely his goodness and mercy shall daily attend you.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do
as with his love he befriend you.
4 Praise to the Lord! Oh, let all that is in me adore him!
All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!
Let the amen sound from his people again.
Gladly forever adore him!
Text: Joachim Neander; Music: Ernewerten Gesangbuch 1665; Public Domain
Devotion
Written on the front of a t-shirt are the fabled seven last words of the church: “We’ve Never Done It That Way Before.” Yet the words on the back suggest: “Ponder Anew What the Almighty Can Do!”
It’s easy to get stuck in the “same old, same old.” Familiar routines, surroundings, and ideas, tend to breed indifference or displaced comfort. When confronted with change it’s difficult to see the potential of what is beyond our imagination or what God imagines for us.
The Resurrection of Our Lord is a perfect witness to what the Almighty can do without succumbing to predictable and “worn-out” paradigms. This hymn raises the bar, points to the possible, breathes life into the stagnant. “All that has life and breath, come now with praises before him!”
In response to this grace, we are commissioned to call others to “join in glad adoration!
Prayer
Gracious God, help us to ponder what is possible when immersed in your Spirit. Amen.