Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150:6
So there’s these birds at school… I swear they never sleep. It doesn’t matter what time it is, they’re always up, chirping away! At first, this really annoyed me. I would make sure my window was always shut when I went to sleep and I’d often give this “death stare” towards my section door if I got up during the night to use the bathroom. It was as if I thought the birds could see through the door and see my death stare. I bet they were really scared. I’ve realized though, that was just dumb…on so many levels. First of all, how silly is it to give a death stare to a door in a half sleeping state? Pretty silly. It’s not like I was accomplishing much. But more importantly, I began to ask myself, why are these birds chirping? They’re not doing it to annoy me. I mean, it’s not like they’re sitting there thinking, “Ah, what can we do to annoy Daina today…” That’s just an absurd thought. After all, who would want to annoy me 🙂 Just kidding. No but really. I think these birds are onto something. Maybe this chirping I hear is more than just that. Maybe, just maybe, this chirping is actually singing….songs of praise. After all, can’t they too be wanting to praise God? And if that’s the case, wouldn’t it make sense that they seem to be doing it at all hours of the night? Perhaps they are just avid pray-ers. Perhaps I have a thing or two to learn from these birds! So, as silly as it sounds, I’m going to try to live my life as the birds do–praising God for all to hear!!
Psalm 47
Clap your hands, all you nations;
shout to God with cries of joy.
How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!
He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
shout to God with cries of joy.
How awesome is the LORD Most High,
the great King over all the earth!
He subdued nations under us,
peoples under our feet.
He chose our inheritance for us,
the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.
Selah
God has ascended amid shouts of joy,
the LORD amid the sounding of trumpets.
Sing praises to God, sing praises;
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
For God is the King of all the earth;
sing to him a psalm of praise.
God reigns over the nations;
God is seated on his holy throne.
The nobles of the nations assemble
as the people of the God of Abraham,
for the kings of the earth belong to God;
he is greatly exalted.
Psalm 66
Shout with joy to God, all the earth!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name.”
Selah
Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man’s behalf!
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot-
come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations-
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Selah
Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you-
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
Selah
Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
Sing the glory of his name;
make his praise glorious!
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
So great is your power
that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
they sing praise to you,
they sing praise to your name.”
Selah
Come and see what God has done,
how awesome his works in man’s behalf!
He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the waters on foot-
come, let us rejoice in him.
He rules forever by his power,
his eyes watch the nations-
let not the rebellious rise up against him.
Selah
Praise our God, O peoples,
let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, O God, tested us;
you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
and laid burdens on our backs.
You let men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water,
but you brought us to a place of abundance.
I will come to your temple with burnt offerings
and fulfill my vows to you-
vows my lips promised and my mouth spoke
when I was in trouble.
I will sacrifice fat animals to you
and an offering of rams;
I will offer bulls and goats.
Selah
Come and listen, all you who fear God;
let me tell you what he has done for me.
I cried out to him with my mouth;
his praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished sin in my heart,
the Lord would not have listened;
but God has surely listened
and heard my voice in prayer.
Praise be to God,
who has not rejected my prayer
or withheld his love from me!
