Tag: Praise

Hymns

On By KateIn HymnsLeave a comment

The hymns of yesteryear were actual gospel messages. The writers were God-fearing Christians who knew the cost to living for Christ. This is a 30-day devotional, originally written in 2007, which covers hymns (prior to copyright laws), their authors and how they tie in with the Word of God. This series will be a blessing to my soul and I pray to yours! In a world of contemporary music and PowerPoint presentations used in church services, the old hymns and favorites are slowly fading away. My prayer is that we will be exhorted to go back to the old paths of our fathers and renew these hymns in our own daily lives. These are hymns written prior to this backslidden, emerging church called the Laodicean church. These are words written by those who have met with their Saviour in their prayer closets and have been moved by the Holy Spirit to pen the words which in turn have moved the hearts of men.

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Praise Your Holy Name

On By KateIn PoetryLeave a comment

I lift up my voice and sing praises
To the One who made me whole
He pulled me from the miry clay
And a new heart did He mold

Rejoice with me friend and sing His praise
With melody clear and sweet
Worship the Lord God Almighty
This day through eternity

Your Name is above all other names
You’re the blessed Three in One
The Great I am, Emmanuel
For which greater there is none

Rejoice with me friend and sing His praise
With melody clear and sweet
Worship the Lord God Almighty
This day through eternity

Kate Plourde, December 29, 2008

© Kate Plourde 2009

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Hymns – Day 17 – O Lord my God! how great art Thou!

On By KateIn Various2 Comments

John Quincy Adam, our sixth President, was a wonderful poet. He was born on July 11, 1767, and died on February 23, 1848. I had never heard this hymn before – the words are absolutely beautiful! It was set to music by Lowell Mason Hamburg in 1824. If you click on the title’s hyperlink, it will take you to Cyberhymnal and you can listen to it. It is a beautiful hymn and the words are an absolute blessing.

President Adams was blessed with a true gift of poetry. His style just flows and the words magnify God! As I read his hymn, I felt the peace of God cover me like a blanket. Meditating on these words truly causes one to be overwhelmed with God’s power and might. At least it did for me.

O Lord my God! how great art Thou! O Lord my God! how great art Thou!
With honor and with glory crowned;
Light’s dazzling splendors veil Thy brow,
And gird the universe around.Spirits and angels Thou hast made;
Thy ministers a flaming fire;
By Thee were earth’s foundations laid;
At Thy rebuke the floods retire.

Thine are the fountains of the deep;
By Thee their waters swell or fail;
Up to the mountain’s summit creep,
Or shrink beneath the lowly vale.

Thy fingers mark their utmost found;
That bound the waters may not pass;
Their moisture swells the teeming ground,
And paints the valleys o’er with grass.

The waving harvest, Lord, is Thine;
The vineyard, and the olive’s juice;
Corn, wine, and oil, by Thee combine,
Life, gladness, beauty, produce.

The moon for seasons Thou hast made,
The sun for change of day and night;
Of darkness Thine the deepest shade,
And Thine the day’s meridian light.

O Lord, Thy works are all divine;
In wisdom hast Thou made them all;
Earth’s teeming multitudes are Thine;
Thine—peopled ocean’s great and small.

All these on Thee for life depend;
Thy Spirit speaks, and they are born;
They gather what Thy bounties send;
Thy hand of plenty fills the horn.

Thy face is hidden—they turn pale,
With terror quake, with anguish burn;
Their breath Thou givest to the gale;
They die, and to their dust return.

And Thou, my soul, with pure delight,
Thy voice to bless thy Maker raise;
His praise let morning sing to night,
And night to morn repeat His praise.

We should take the time to meditate on God’s goodness to us as well as His power and might. Like the Psalmist, David, President Adams allowed his thoughts to dwell on the Almighty and in turn glorified Him through his writing.

So what does this song do for you, oh Christian? Do you read it like any other song or do you allow the Holy Spirit to work in your heart? The Spirit’s job is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you allowing Him the opportunity to do this for you in your life? Meditating on God’s Word is a must if we want to grow spiritually. Reading songs and poetry like this and listening to Godly music also works in a Christian’s heart. If it were not so, the Lord would not have dedicated an entire book (Psalms) to music. God knew that music is an important part of a person’s life and can be a blessing!

I know that today’s devotional is not typical of my others. There really is not much more to add to words so beautifully penned. May the Lord use these words to work in your heart and draw you to Him, His goodness, power and might!

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Day 5 – Sevenfold Praise – Part 2

On By KateIn Uncategorized1 Comment

Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100 is a short Psalm, but one of the most powerful. In it we find the psalmist listing seven ways to praise the Lord, then giving seven reasons why God’s people should do so.

Seven Reasons to Praise God – these will never change if you are saved (so you can always praise Him!):

1. Know ye that the LORD He is God:
2. it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
3. we are His people,
4. and the sheep of His pasture.
5. For the LORD is good;
6. His mercy is everlasting;
7. and His truth endureth to all generations.

Reasons for rejoicing indeed! If there has been a time and place in your life when you turned from your sin and received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then all seven of these reasons are just as true for you as for any other true believer. And the wonderful thing about each of these reasons is that they will never change, regardless of our circumstances.

I really appreciate Matthew Henry’s subpoints in his commentary on this chapter, so I will use them here:

1. That the Lord He is God.

He is still your God. There may be times in our lives where we don’t let Him hold the reigns to our lives, but that doesn’t change the fact that the Lord, the God of the Bible, is the only true and living God. That He is God should have special meaning to each one of us; if we have been adopted as His children and have Him sovereignly working out all things in our lives, there is reason for great rejoicing!

Adam Clarke makes this comment, “Acknowledge in every possible way, both in public and private, that Jehovah, the uncreated self-existent, and eternal Being, is Elohim, the God who is in covenant with man, to instruct, redeem, love, and make him finally happy.”

2. That He is our Creator.

The Lord has made us – we didn’t make ourselves. As Albert Barnes has stated in his commentary on this verse, “All that we have and are, we owe to him.”

John Gill adds this, “It is he that hath made us; as men, without whom nothing is made that was made; in him we live, move, and have our being; and, as new creatures, we are his workmanship, created in him, and by him; regenerated by his Spirit and grace, and formed for himself, his service and glory; and made great and honourable by him…”

3. That therefore He is our rightful owner.

The Lord has bought us with a price; therefore we are to glorify Him in all we do (see 1 Corinthians 6:20 and 10:31).

4. That He is our sovereign Ruler.

We are His people and He is our King; therefore we owe our complete loyalty and devotion to Him each day.

5. That He is our bountiful Benefactor.

We are the sheep of His pasture; therefore it is His job to lead us and to provide for us each day. He is faithful to do that – and it is up to us to walk in right fellowship with Him and do His will.

6. That He is a God of infinite mercy and good.

Matthew Henry also adds this here: “The Lord is good, and therefore does good; his mercy is everlasting; it is a fountain that can never be drawn dry. The saints, who are now the sanctified vessels of mercy, will be, to eternity, the glorified monuments of mercy.”

7. That He is a God of inviolable truth and faithfulness.

His truth endures forever! You can always rely on your Saviour to preserve His Word, to keep His promises, and to always be faithful.

If your spirit has been quickened (ie. if you have been born again through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ), these reasons should stir you up – if not, check your pulse or your walk with the Lord, because something is wrong there! If these seven reasons given by the inspired Psalmist are applicable to you, then the trials and afflictions you will experience in your life can never compare to them or cause them to diminish. These are truly reasons for rejoicing, reasons for praising – keep praising the Lord!

To cap off this devotional, here is one of the versions of Psalm 100 in Metre put together by the hymnist, Isaac Watts:

Psalm 100
A plain translation. Praise to our Creator.

1 Ye nations round the earth rejoice
Before the Lord, your sovereign King;
Serve him with cheerful heart and voice,
With all your tongues his glory sing.

2 The Lord is God; ’tis he alone
Doth life, and breath, and being give:
We are his work, and not our own;
The sheep that on his pastures live.

3 Enter his gates with songs of joy,
With praises to his courts repair,
And make it your divine employ
To pay your thanks and honours there.

4 The Lord is good, the Lord is kind;
Great is his grace, his mercy sure;
And the whole race of man shall find
His truth from age to age endure.

May 24th/05
(Preached May 19th/07)
Jerry Bouey

Day 3 – Sevenfold Praise – Part One

On By KateIn UncategorizedLeave a comment

Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 100 is a short Psalm, but one of the most powerful. Out of all the Psalms, there are only two that are specifically designated as Psalms “of praise” – this one and Psalm 145. In it we find the psalmist listing seven ways to praise the Lord, then giving seven reasons why God’s people should do so.

Seven Ways to Praise God:

1. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
2. Serve the LORD with gladness:
3. come before His presence with singing.
4. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
5. and into His courts with praise:
6. be thankful unto Him,
7. and bless His name.

How many of these seven ways of praising the Lord have you actually done in your walk with Him?

The phrase, “make a joyful noise” figuratively means “to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy).” Have you shouted out in joy or sang aloud in praise? His Word tells us to make a joyful noise. While there is a place for skilfull playing and singing, God doesn’t demand that. He wants praise flowing out of our hearts – even if it is noise to the ears of those who cannot see our hearts, to the Lord it is a joyful noise, and He is pleased with it.

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines gladness as “Joy, or a moderate degree of joy and exhilaration; pleasure of mind; cheerfulness.” Then he adds this comment, “Gladness is rarely or never equivalent to mirth, merriment, gayety and triumph, and it usually expresses less than delight.” Have you been serving the Lord with gladness, or with drudgery? Have you been going through the motions out of duty, or has your service been one that sprang forth from a glad heart?

Are you entering into His presence (whether with other believers or on your own) with singing, with thanksgiving, and with praise?

Thanksgiving is defined by Webster’s as “The act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for favors or mercies.” Are you grateful and thankful for the Lord’s mercies and goodness in your life? Have you been expressing that to Him? Too often we (myself included!) get too caught up in merely giving our concerns and needs to the Lord in prayer and we forget to thank or praise Him. When was the last time you told your Heavenly Father you loved Him, or truly thanked Jesus for saving your soul and washing your sins away, or praised the Holy Spirit for the work that He is continuing to do in you?

Praise is defined by Webster’s as “1. To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of personal worth or actions. 2. To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works. 3. To express gratitude for personal favors. 4. To do honor to; to display the excellence of.”

Praise and thanksgiving are part of worship. It is interesting that the word worship indicates that the person being worshipped is worthy, as that is the root of the word.

Have you poured out your heart in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord – not only for what He has done in your life, but for who He is?

Have you blessed His name? Jesus’ name means “the Lord is salvation.” Do others know what His salvation means to you?

According to Webster, bless means “To praise; to magnify; to extol, for excellencies.” The Way Of Life Encyclopedia defines bless as “To be thankful for and to bestow benefits upon something in a general sense; to speak well of and to desire God’s blessing upon.” Are you boasting of your Saviour, are you speaking well of Him to all those around you? Webster’s defines magnify as “1. To make great or greater. 2. To make great in representation; to extol; to exalt in description or praise. 3. To extol; to exalt; to elevate; to raise in estimation.” Are you praising the Lord Jesus Christ and magnifying Him in your life? When others look at you and your walk with the Lord, do they see Jesus, or do they just see you? As John the Baptist stated in John 3:30, He must increase, but I must decrease.

May 24th/05
(Preached May 19th/07)
Jerry Bouey

Dear God…
Behold the Lord, the Lamb of God
Who died upon the tree
We magnify Thy Holy Name
And worship only Thee

Praise the Lord, All Ye Saints

On By KateIn VariousLeave a comment

Praise the Lord, all ye saints
His Goodness ever sing
Glory to God in word and deed
Give honor to our King

Share his blessings every one
Shout acclamations too
Worthy is the Saviour
For what He’s done for you

The God of all creation
Came down in form of man
To open Heavens pearly gates
With His own loving hands

There’s none other like our God
The victory is won
We serve the God who’s living
The Bless-ed Three in One!

Shout from the highest mountains
What the Lamb of God has done
For all who seek will surely find
The wonderful Father’s Son!

Kate Plourde
February 14, 2007

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Day 12 – O Give Thanks Unto the Lord

On By KateIn Various1 Comment

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. (1Ch 16:34) Thank You Lord for our men and women serving our country to defend our freedoms. They give so much and yet we Christians fail to pray for them faithfully. Forgive our ungrateful hearts. May we strive to remember them daily and place them in Your care. Encourage them while they are away from their families this Thanksgiving day. Place a Christian in their path who will share with them the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ so they, too, may experience true thankfulness for a gift so great.

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. (Psa 105:1) Thank You Lord for my salvation! This has been the one most important life changing events in my life. My path no longer heads down the road of destruction but toward my heavenly home!

Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 106:1) Thank You Lord for my wonderful husband! You had him picked for me even before my salvation and allowed me to marry the most wonderful man I know.

O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 107:1) Thank You Lord for the two sons You have given us. If I could pick two sons from a line up of all sons, I would pick these two. I pray You use them for Your honor and glory.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 118:1) Thank You Lord for placing us at Tabernacle Baptist Church and giving us Pastor Zorbas as our under shepherd! I’ve never seen a Pastor who loves his people as much as he does. Thank You for working through him for our benefit.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 118:29) Thank You Lord for sending lost souls our way! Thank You for Adam’s friend, Matt’s, salvation last night! What an economical God You are to draw Matt to You and give Adam a dear friend! Thank You for using Aaron and preparing him for the ministry. May Your hand of protection be over him and may he draw closer to You with each passing day.

O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 136:1) Thank You Lord for my spiritual mother, Vicky. Without her I would not be writing today. Thank You for a friendship that started when I was 3 years old and still continues. Thank You for giving us a friendship that goes beyond just being friends but being spiritual sisters as well.

O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 136:2) Thank You Lord for giving my husband vision for our future as we work toward retirement. Thank You for filling in details which provide him comfort and rest. Your work is evident in all that we see and we glorify Your name for providing for us!

O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 136:3) Thank You Lord for using the Internet for good despite what ole slew foot tries to do. Thank You Lord for the on-line Christian friends made and the encouragement the brethren can have through it.

O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psa 136:26) Thank You Lord for allowing us to live in these wonderful end times. What exciting times they are indeed! We are grateful that we can see your Word’s prophecies being fulfilled before our very eyes. We know that Your return can be at any moment. May we be found worthy!

PRAISE GOD, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW
by Thomas Ken (1674)

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.