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Today’s reading from Psalm 111–118 is a symphonic climax of praise to the Lord our God, concluding with our greatest motivation for praise—Jesus. I encourage you to read the selection and let it speak more to you than what I am writing here. The meaning is rich on its own. Even so, I will share a few highlights.

If you are reading through your Bible today, be encouraged by verse 2,

Great are the works of the Lord; they are studied by all who delight in them.

You are here because you delight in the works of the Lord—and more to the point—you delight in the Lord. In verse 10, David says that this perspective—the fear of the Lord—is the beginning of all wisdom. You’ve taken what God has done and applied it by leaning into Him. That position will not disappoint you. So, you have reason to praise the Lord.

One of my greatest desires—fulfilled because I am convinced of what I believe about God and Christ—is the confident hope found in chapter 112, verse 2,

His descendants will be mighty on earth.

As we lean into the truth and justice that is God, we are given a promise—those who believe through our example will continue in the steps of faith we modeled. I can trace my faith through generations—through disciplers and teachers, through my father and mother, and through my grandparents—and now I see that same hope taking root in those I’ve discipled, in my children, and, hopefully, one day in my grandchildren. And so, “Yes!” there is reason to praise the Lord.

God has done so much for us. That He would even consider us after our rejection of Him is incredible. Yet, as Psalm 113:6 says of Him,

Who humbles Himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth?

Our perfectly holy God has made a way for fallen creation to enter into relationship with Him. He has taken the most desperate and dissolute of humanity and turned our fortunes around through His undeserved rescue. And so, “Yes again!” there is reason to praise the Lord.

We come to Psalm 115:1 and recognize that it is not our doing but His that ignites our praise,

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name give glory.

He has opened our eyes to understand and believe. We will give Him glory forever. I’m saddened for those who have yet to respond, but “Yes, and Amen!” we have reason to praise the Lord.

What can I do in response? I can’t repay Him, but I can praise Him. I will, as David said in Psalm 116:13,

“…lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.”

I will tell others, “See what the Lord has done for me! Won’t you join me?" Psalm 117 may be short, but that is its message—praise Him too.

Finally, Psalm 118 points us to Jesus, the ultimate reason for our praise—“the stone the builders rejected” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” He was the sacrifice bound to the altar so that we might have life through His death. In verse 25, David cries out for Him,

O Lord, do save, we beseech You.

In Hebrew, that is הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא, pronounced “hoshia na”—what we know as Hosanna. Before it became a praise, it was a prayer for rescue. We have every reason to praise the Lord our God who answered our prayer through the rescue He gave in Jesus. Amen. Praise Him today and forever!