Psalm 135

Reading for September 13, 2012          Psalm 135

Every day, we dress for the occasion. Whether we are working in the garden, an office, traveling or going to the grocery store, we dress for the occasion. Our manner of dress says something about how we perceive ourselves, and the others around us. As I write this, I am remembering a bygone era of fifty years ago, when men and women wore their Sunday best, or business attire when traveling by air, or even by the Greyhound bus. This Sunday, before you leave home, take a few minutes and think about how you are dressed. Consider what message your attire sends about where you are going, what you are preparing to do, and who will be with you.

When you arrive at Church, take a few minutes to consider what your demeanor, your conversation, and your actions may communicate to others. If there was a stranger present that was unfamiliar with your community, and your form of worship, what might they conclude from observing you?

All these considerations revolve around the basic question, why do you worship God? Psalm 135 opens with an imperative statement,

Praise the Lord!

Praise the name of the Lord!

    Praise him, you who serve the Lord,

The psalmist then gives instructions on why and how to worship God, and concludes the psalm by repeating verse 1,

Praise the Lord!

As you read through the psalm, make a list of the characteristics, or attributes of God that are illustrated by the psalmist, such as: good, great, sovereign, defender, just, faithful, eternal, and alive. Next, make a list of characteristics, or attributes of God that you have personally experienced in your life. If you have been seeking the life in Christ as your way of life, I suspect you will include many of the attributes the psalmist extoled, and I know you will sing along with Mary, the mother of our Lord, and proclaim, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! (Luke 1:46-47).

Now, ask yourself, “Are the attributes of God, that I have graciously experienced, reflected in my public worship of God?”

Sē’lah

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What word or phrase in today’s reading of the Psalms

 attracts your attention?

Reflect on that word or phrase.

What insights come to you?

How does this passage touch your life today?

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

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Reading for September 14, 2012          Psalm 136