Psalm 103:2

Psalm 103:2

Praise the Lord, my soul

The call to Praise the Lord continues! Notice that this is not an outward call, we may often stand in front of friends and family and church congregations and invite them to stand up and sing, to “Praise the Lord.” This is standard practice in churches and chapels and has been so for centuries, but it is not what this Psalm is asking. No, we are being encouraged to turn the invitation inwards, to direct it into our own souls, to give the command for praise to our innermost beings. This is both a private and a very personal decree and I wonder how many of us have ever stopped and thought about it? Have you ever heard a sermon about this? I haven’t. So, let’s do it right now, instead of challenging a sea of expectant faces to “Praise the Lord” let us address our innermost “self”, the core of our individual beings and give the same order, “Praise the Lord, my soul!”

Oh, and there is a corollary to this. It’s a good time to stop and remember all of the blessings and benefits that the Lord has brought and is bringing and will bring into our lives. Every event, every intervention, every prayer answered, every “coincidence”, every gentle touch, every moment of revelation, every sensation of being loved, every hope that burns within us ….. this list could go on for a long time. Let us never forget these things, let us remind our souls what He has done and let us continue to praise Him, and praise Him, and praise Him, for all that He has done and for all that He is! Hallelujah! 

 

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