A GOOD THEME
Suggested Reading: Psalms 45-47
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Glimpses of grandeur are seen everywhere as you walk through the ruins of ancient Philippi. The glory of ancient civilizations is in ruins, but not the glorious Church about which Jesus said, "I will build." The Church is built of living stones; Jesus, Himself, is the Chief Cornerstone in the eternal building! (Ephesians 2:19-22).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Psalm 46:1-2a, 47:1
God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear…
Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
In yesterday’s reading, words such as “reproach, scorn, derision, dishonour, shame,” etc., were jumping out at us, but not so today. Today the words that stand out are, “a good theme, blessed, glory, majesty,” and over and over, “gladness.” The New Testament writer to the Hebrews quotes extensively from Psalm 45 (Hebrews 1:5-9).
Psalm 46 likens God to an unending river. These streams “make glad the city of God.” Psalm 47 begins with, “Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph!” The sons of Korah, who composed these hymns of praise to God, did not try to contain the river of God within them. The river burst forth with strong emotion in spontaneous worship to God! There is a place for human emotion in our personal relationship with God. Expressing our feelings to God is a healthy part of our lives. Singing is an expression of the human soul. Psalm 47:6 encourages us to SING! SING! SING! SING! What are we waiting for? Let’s just sing praises to God now!!!
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, as I read and sing these Psalms, my heart is overflowing with the knowledge of Your goodness to me. I pray that I will never take You for granted, but that I will acknowledge You with gladness every day without fail! You are the Source and the River of gladness which courses through my entire being. I worship You! I exalt You! Hallelujah!!! Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Years ago I heard the story of a man who attended a rather formal church service where he heard the reading of a Psalm of praise to God. He raised his voice and said spontaneously and loudly, “Praise the Lord!” At the close of the service the minister was greeting the departing congregation and when he came to this man he said, “Sir, what were you doing shouting out as you did?” The man answered, “I was being blessed by God.” The minister responded, “I’ll have you know that this is no place to get blessed!” It’s a humorous story, but it makes the point that we need to be more free in our expressions of praise to God. Of course Psalm 46:10 makes the point that there is also a time to “be still.”
It was a New Year’s Eve when I asked Norma-Jean to marry me. We had driven to Buffalo, New York, to attend a great church service. The people were the most spontaneous worshippers I had ever come across. I confess that I was so blessed by God in Norma Jean’s “Yes” to my proposal that I joined the people in loud praises. I did all that our key verse tells me to do. I clapped my hands, and I gave a “shout to God with the voice of triumph.” That’s just over 55 years ago, and I’m still expressing my strong emotions to God!!!
Yours for enjoying freedom in expressing praise to our God,
David
This mosaic artwork in ancient Philippi must have been a most beautiful floor in its day! Philippi was the city where Paul and Silas sang praises to God at midnight while their hands and feet were held in the stocks in the local jail. No wonder they were miraculously set free and the prison warden and his family became believers (read Acts 16:20-34).
Thank you David…how could we be “downcast”
this morning after today’s read.
Our Lord God is worthy of all praise, honor,
glory, and majesty. Wow!!! We are so blessed
let us praise our Lord together today.
When in Israel, the mosaic patterns on the
floors were amazing to me…to realize they
were still there for us to enjoy their beautiful
artistic handiwork of their time.
Enjoy another beautiful day all blog buddies.
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
The Lord and Lord.
I have had for some time now, a strong desire to play a small drum during praise at church or anywhere. It would not be accepted where we worship however. I tap anything when I’m at home! My kids took all the instruments with them when they married but I would be happy with just the drum. My voice is failing but I can still clap!
Could you ask the choir at your church if you could sit in with a pair of handbells, as Lianne has commented about in her post, Doreen? Praise God!
Praise His Wonderful Name!
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.
Oh yes I express my praise to God when Im in bed when I rise and when I walk and look at the trees the beautiful sky I sing praise s for zhe is so gracious to , me
I sing Oh how I love Jesus
I will bless the Lord at all time His praise shall ever be in my mouth
Jesus is the rock of my Salvation his banner over me is Love
Oh how I love Jesus
I love all the old songs of praise
Come bless the Lord with me all you saints
He has done so many fantastic things in my life that I trust Him as my source and my vindicater , my father , my God and am believing that all my family will be saved before His glorious return Amen
Pray that I can go to jerusalem and galilee and to be baptized in the river Jordon I just need the money and Go d is my source , I long to go with David and Norma Jean and all the other brothers snd sisters in Jesus nsme Amen He sais whatever I ask in His name He will do it I believe in Jesus name Amen
Thank you for your prayers God s favor pour out on you
Praying for your prayers to be answered, indeed, Brenda!
David I have heard a story from a friend that one Sunday he raised his arms
to worship and a lady came to him and said what you said we don’t do that
here. Leo was disappointed but he ask another person whether it was the minister
or not I am not sure and he said Yes.
Years ago I used to sing in the choir and also at one time played handbells
that a lady gave to the church I think I have a newspaper clipping somewhere
I will never forget it
God bless you David and your families
Lianne Hogg
Today is our Anniversary. Thank you Lord for blessing our marriage with love and respect, countless happy memories and friendship which never grows old!
Happy Anniversary to you and your wife, David!
Thank you! I’m touched by all the kind words, which I’ve shared. We’ve had a wonderful day!
Many blessings on your Anniversary,David . Hope you and your wife had a very special day!
Thank you, Scott!
Thank you for sharing pictures of the Holy lands. I will pray for you and your family.
Happy Anniversary David. It’s so refreshing to read about your thanks to God for the wonderful years you have shared with your precious wife in love and respect.
Happy Anniversary David and your beloved. May the Lord grant you many more. I like this blog on praise, David and fellow bloggers. We have always enjoyed a lot of freedom in spontaneous praise in our church but a lot of them have passed on; in fact I am attending the funeral of another older member today. However, that is why a few of us are meeting for prayer that joy and praise will come back. Am looking for an autio website where we can learn to sing more of the psalms as they are the Word of God and minister to the heart. Enjoy the sunshine.
You are in my prayers, today, Ger. God bless you, dear sister-in-Christ!
Praise be to God the FAther, Son and Spirit for He alone deserves our praise.
I often just sing around the house made up songs of praise words to Jesus and today’s reading is so uplifting I might just YELL them out!!!
God is so good……all the time.
Enjoy the day everyone.
Yes! Blessed be The Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. I continue to praise Him in all circumstances.
Have a wonderful day everyone and happy anniversary to you David and your wife.
Lord Jesus
I am rendered speechless and praises fail me whenever I count the ways You have reveal Yourself to me. You sustain my very being, you provide for me each day. Your grace is more than I can fathom. Your mercy beyond depth or breath of reason. Yet in spite of all this I still doubt, but you do not return it with anger or indifference, you merely wait until my eyes reopen.
Your compassion makes no sense, it has no reality in a world so cold and unfeeling that you, you who has every right to say to me, “I had enough of you” would continue to love me when I cannot promise I will always do the same.
If my heart could only grasp how You can love like that, then maybe, just maybe, my pain would lessen,my burdens would ease, my fears would subside and I could be free.
My soul is groaning, my spirit longs to be where I’ve never been; to experience what I cannot experience until this flesh of mine is completely redeemed in resurrection’s dawn. Yet I know until then You will be there to guide me, to be my strength when it is gone, to be my courage when it flees, to be the light when the darkness prevails.
O Gracious Lord Jesus, if I could sing what all this means to me then song would never leave my lips and angels choirs would never cease to join me.
Amen.
How wonderful it is to be free to praise and exalt our God…for He is worthy to be praised and I do “Exalt You Oh Lord”!! and I Shout unto God with the voice of Praise!!!
What uplifting Psalms…Thank you Lord!!!
A garment of praised for the spirit of heaviness…what a wonderful exchange!!
Today’s photos are awesome! Beautiful paintings to be made! Praise the Lord for Psalms! It’s a very sad thing when churches dismiss forms of praise and are stuck in their rules; it’s discouraging for people. Find a church that is in tune with the way we desire to praise. We know that is what the Lord wants for us as the Psalms show. Thank you, David Mainse for encouraging us through this blog. We love you! And thank you, our Heavenly Father, for the Holy Bible! We love You!
Blessings to all fellow saints, for a beautiful day in the Lord!
Happy anniversary David! What an amazing God we serve. God is good all the time.
Last night, I was signing along wonderful worship songs as I watched ”Time to sing” http://www.timetosing.ca
Let’s go and enjoy our Lord’s gorgeous sunshine.
Blessed day everyone!
xxx Carole
A few days ago I came across that wonderful hymn, There were ninety and nine all safely in the fold, but one was lost out in the wild and the shepherd was going to find the lost. My husband Frank had never heard of it. I think Mother and I used to sing it along time ago. What a powerful Hymn that is. Do you remember it pastor David?
Happy anniversary David and Norma Jean. May God’s riches blessings continue to be with you both. Praise God for His riches blessings. Mercy and grace.
It has been awhile now that I haven’t written in. My family and I had a very big move, to a very big house, due to a change in my son in laws work. The wifi in the was working properly and sometimes not at all. As you can see it’s fixed now, praise The Lord!
I too have longed to go to Israel, one of my hearts desire and prayers. I have prayed for Israel since my salvation over forty years ago. I live on a small pension and things are tight. Lately my desire to go there is stronger than ever . I will start to put little bits away, it seems a monumental task, but God is able, I would like to ask you my fellow bloggers to for this also. Thank you so much! May God,s blessings be on you all.
It’s good to be back David growing in the rich manna you give us every day. Thank you so much, my prayers are always with you and your family.
Nancy
Thank you sister Beverlee for your prayers.
I remember as a boy growing up in the United Church of Canada, we used to (as many traditional Churches have, I’m sure) sing the ‘Doxology’ during the Sunday service. To me, this was a form of praise and worship, a very high point of the service as I remember. It was recited to a traditional form of music and the words were as follows :
“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him, all creatures here below,
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host,
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen”
Happy anniversary David and Norma Jean and to all your wonderful children. May God richly bless and keep you and all yours. Elaine B.
🙂
M.