Playlist: Happy Songs — Monday
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (NLT)
Our current teaching series, Playlist—A Song For Every Season, is an invitation for us to see again the value of the Jewish hymnal contained in our Bible. The book of Psalms has also served as a devotional guide and prayer book for believers through the centuries. Psalms literally translated in Hebrew means “the book of praises.” But why would followers of Jesus have any use for an ancient, Jewish book of worship? We’ve mentioned before about the blessing of living in our time. We have the advantage of being able to see, meditate on, sing, and pray the psalms with the knowledge of the cross and Jesus’ resurrection. Those events are what elevate this book to its fullest meaning.
If we’re not careful, we can treat the psalms as we might other scriptures, picking and choosing the warm, encouraging, and pleasant ones while skipping over those that invite conviction or express lament. It’s only in being willing to engage all of the psalms honestly that we’ll begin to see the whole picture. That means being lifted by those verses that encourage us while also accepting those that serve as a mirror, reflecting back the ugliness of our humanity that we’d rather not see. St. John Cassian taught that the psalms honestly reveal “all the feelings of which human nature is capable.”
This week, we’ll use Psalm 100 as a guide to teach us how to express praise, gratitude, and joy to God. One way we can know we’re truly being formed in the likeness and image of Christ is when, despite uncertainty and hardship, we still choose to sing of His goodness!
Monday’s Reflection
After a moment of silence, take a moment and prayerfully name to the Father those things that might be hindering you from expressing joyful praise. Is it unforgiveness? Jealousy? Selfishness? Unconfessed sin? Tell Him. He will forgive you, empty you, and be ready to fill you with His blessings.
