SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 8/22/2012 8:43:39 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Psalm 117 PT-1
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: Psalm 117:1
Message of the verse: We will begin looking at the 117th
Psalm in Today’s SD by looking at three introductions from The John MacArthur
Study Bible, Charles H. Spurgeon, and Warren Wiersbe.
“This
Psalm, which is very little in its letter, is exceedingly large in its spirit;
for, bursting beyond all bounds of race or nationality, it calls upon all
mankind to praise the name of the Lord. In all probability it was frequently
used as a brief hymn suitable for almost every occasion, and especially when
the time for worship was short. Perhaps it was also sung at the commencement or
at the close of other Psalms, just as we now use the doxology. It would have served either to open a service
or to conclude it. It is both short and sweet.
The same divine Spirit which expatiates in the 119th, here condenses his
utterances into two short verses, but yet the same infinite fullness is present
and perceptible. It may be worth noting that this is at once the shortest
chapter of the Scriptures and the central portion of the whole Bible.” (Charles H. Spurgeon)
““Psalm
113-118 comprises a rich 6-psalm praise to God commonly called the ‘Egyptian
Hallel’ (‘hallel’ meaning praise in Heb.).
“The seal
of redemptive trust is bound up in this diminutive but seminal psalm—its profundity
far outdistances its size. This pivotal
psalm exhibits 3 distinguishing features:
1) it is the shortest psalm; 2) it is the shortest chapter in the Bible
and 3) it is the middle chapter of the Bible.
That God looked redemptively beyond the borders of Israel in the OT is
made clear here. This psalm looks back
to God’s intent for Adam and Eve in Eden (Gen. 1, 2) and looks ahead to the
ultimate fulfillment in the new heavens and earth (Rev. 21, 22)” (The John MacArthur Study Bible)
“An
anonymous writer composed the shortest psalm and in three brief sentences
encompassed the whole world. The psalm
is an invitation to people everywhere to turn to the Lord and join with
believers everywhere in praising Him. A
proper understanding of this psalm will help us appreciate at least four
privileges that belong to God’s people.”
(Warren Wiersbe)
Worshiping God (v. 1a): “1 ¶ Praise the LORD,”
This short
psalm begins and ends with “Praise the Lord,” however there are two different
Hebrew words that are used. The first
word is “Hallel” and this gives us our word Hallelujah—praise the Lord.” The second “praise” is shavah, and this
actually means to “brag on Him.” In the
book of Acts we see very early in the life of the Church that people were
praising the Lord, “46 Day by day
continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house,
they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,
47 praising God and
having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day
by day those who were being saved.”
(Acts 2:46-47 italics added)
Dr. Wiersbe
writes, “Worship and praise are the highest occupations to which we can
dedicate our voices, the activities that will occupy us for all eternity!”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I know that I am to praise the Lord each and
every day, but there are far too many times when I fail to do this. I realize the reasons that I do not do this
and need to work on these reasons so that I feel very comfortable to praise the
Lord more than I do. All people have so
many things to praise the Lord for, but sometimes we forget or even think that
we have done some of the things that actually God is doing and so we don’t
praise the Lord for them. We breathe the
air that He has provided for us, and we eat the food that God had actually
provided for us to eat, and these are just two things to praise the Lord for. I suppose that the most important thing to
praise the Lord for is our great salvation provided for us through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
My Steps of Faith for
Today: PRAISE THE LORD!
Memory verses for the week:
2Peter 1:8-11
8 For is these qualities are yours and are increasing, they
render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks
these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten the purification from
his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren,
be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you;
for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble, 11 for in
this way the entrance into the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will
be abundantly supplied to you.
8/22/2012 9:53:02 AM
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