Blog

Praise in the Middle

By: Steve Negley

Posted: November 17, 2016

Category: Daily Devotional

The book of Psalms starts with an appeal for us to plant ourselves by the living streams of water we find in God’s word.(Psalm 1) The book of Psalms ends in praise and joy to God. (Psalm 150). And slap dab in the middle we find Psalm 75. It is appropriately a Psalm of praise.

As a psalm of praise, it gives thanks to God for judging the boastful and lifting up those who humbly trust in God

We give thanks to you, O God;
we give thanks; your name is near.
People tell of your wondrous deeds.

At the set time that I appoint
I will judge with equity.
When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,
it is I who keep its pillars steady. Selah
I say to the boastful, “Do not boast,”
and to the wicked, “Do not lift up your horn;
do not lift up your horn on high,
or speak with insolent neck.”

For not from the east or from the west
and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;
but it is God who executes judgment,
putting down one and lifting up another.
Psalm 75:1-7

I find, here in the middle of the book of Psalms, a reminder that we can always give thanks to God. We can give thanks in the middle of life. We can give thanks in the middle of a week. In the middle of — whatever – we can give thanks to God.

Prayer

Help me, God, to stop from time to time for the whole purpose of giving You thanks and praise for all that You do in watching over me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.