Psalm 111- 118

Posted on May 29, 2016 in Reading the Bible in 2016 |

Sunday                                 

These Psalms all have something in common. Do you see a recurring phrase being used throughout them?

Psalms 111 through 118 are known as Hallel psalms, Hallelujah psalms. In other words, songs of praise.  Tradition tells us that psalms 111 through 118 were sung by the pilgrims on their way to and from the Passover Festival.  Psalm 111 sings of God’s goodness, Psalm 112 highlights the blessings that God has given to his faithful followers (his children). Psalm 113 tells us of the love and care God has for servants. Psalm 114 is about celebrating God’s great work in our lives. Psalm 115 assures us that God is alive and that He thinks about us and cares for us and it is our responsibility to put God first in our lives. Psalm 116 reminds us that worship is an attitude that comes from our love for God and not just a response because God blessed us or as a repayment for something God has done for us.

To put it another way, would I still praise and worship God, even if my life is torn apart. I invite you to think about Paul and Silas in prison – what were they doing, even after they had been beaten and stoned? Yep, they were praising God. Maybe even singing one of these psalms?

Psalm 117 (kind of a short song) tells us of God’s love for the whole world. Psalm 118 sings of God’s unchanging love.

Just another observation, in Psalm 113:4-6, it tells of God “exalted over all the nations, enthroned on high, who stoops down to look.” Often we see God pictured as “enthroned on high” or “high up”. This metaphor of God perched on a high place is exalting but at the same time can create in us a belief that God is out of our reach, or like a king that you can only approach when given permission to do so. This, of course, is not true. We know God, not only as this King who is in control of all things, but also as Jesus, who is our brother, who invites us to walk with Him and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. God gives himself to us and we just need to respond.

Singing God’s praises all day long

Pastor Kathy

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