October 23rd, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

A Good Posture

Please see the links to our EXTRA Bible Study notes at the bottom of the page.

Opening Prayer

Almighty God, to You the past, present and future are as one. How great You are, Lord of time.

Read Psalm 33:1–22

[1] Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. [2] Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. [3] Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy. [4] For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. [5] The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. [6] By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. [7] He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. [8] Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. [9] For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. [10] The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. [11] But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. [12] Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance. [13] From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; [14] from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth- [15] he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do. [16] No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. [17] A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save. [18] But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, [19] to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. [20] We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. [21] In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. [22] May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.

Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Meditate

If you want to learn about praise to God, this impressive psalm (or hymn of praise) helps. It brings together the work of God in creation and the Word of God in history.

Think Further

“The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations” (11). God has a plan—and his plans are always good. He has purposes that flow from his heart for yours. These purposes are generational, which means they are long-lasting and bigger than you.

 

Are you excited by that? The Creator of the universe has a unique place for you. The psalmist tells us that God’s plans are more powerful than politics or culture (10). Regardless of what our culture thinks or what tradition dictates, God is working his purposes out and wants to place his people at the center of his restoration of this world.

 

So how do we posture ourselves?

 

Worship him. The psalmist’s opening call to worship contains five imperatives: sing, praise, make music, play, shout. This response is based on six qualities of God: right and true, faithful, righteous, just and loving. The psalmist encourages us to worship God for his creativity and his providence.

 

Fear him. In verses 8 and 18 we are encouraged to fear God, but what does that mean? For the follower of Jesus it means reverencing and obeying God; it means loving his ways and making him the authority of our lives; it means learning to think as he thinks and act as he acts.

 

Hope in his love. The psalmist implores us to hope, regardless of the context and our current experience. Hope not only because of God’s power and history or because of his competency and our experience of it, but also because his DNA is love and his predisposition towards us and our future and our future generations is love.

Apply

How has this psalm taught You about praise to God—in personal devotions, in public worship?

Closing prayer

Holy One, You are the desire of those who seek You. You are the joy of those who find You. Even in our darkest days, there are so many things to praise You for.

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