Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, you his servants.
Praise the name of the Lord (Psalm 113:1).
Do you see the symmetry in the poetry of this Bible verse? Hebrew poetry like that in the psalms emphasizes things by repetition and patterns. So what is repeated three times in a pattern in this verse? The word “praise” and the name “Lord.”
Okay, I’m going to teach you some Hebrew here. This is the original language of the Bible’s Old Testament, now translated into English. The original Hebrew word for “praise” is hallelu (say hallelu). And the original Hebrew word for “Lord,” here in its shortened form, is jah (say jah).
So if you want to speak Hebrew and say “praise the Lord” you say … Hallelujah! If you’re into it you say it three times.
Praising the Lord frees you of the terrible responsibly of being the Lord yourself, of playing God, and it makes you a servant, with empty hands, extended to receive whatever the boss gives—in the case of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, he gives his free, his faithful, his forgiving grace.
Okay, one more Hebrew lesson. The name “Lord” in Hebrew abbreviated is jah but the normal name is Jaweh which means “I am.” To put it another way, “I exist” or “I be.” That’s it, that says it all.
Our God and Savior is real, not created, no beginning, from eternity and also with no end, he just “is.” So he isn’t going away. He can’t be impeached. He’ll never accept a bribe to stop loving you.
He is faithful in his grace and his mercy, forgiving you unconditionally and all the time.
He is free from any sin, any evil, totally independent of being influenced by anything or anyone else. He is himself, and has given himself fully to you in Jesus Christ who died and rose to change you, to save you from your sins.
So, praise the Lord! Hallelujah!
Today, praise the Lord. Tomorrow, praise the Lord. All times praise the Lord. “Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore” (Psalm 113:2). Praise him when it’s cloudy or stormy. Praise him in the waiting. Praise him in the pain.
All places praise the Lord. “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3). Praise him in church. Praise him at home and in the car. Praise him at work and school.
Who should praise the Lord? All people. “The Lord is exalted over all the nations, his glory above the heavens” (Psalm 113:4). Salvation is for everyone in the world, including you.
Finally, of all the religions in the world, only one believes in and worships the God who has authority over all other gods and religions, the King of all other kings and the Lord of all other lords. Salvation is a gift from the only Savior God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. “Who is like the Lord our God, the One who sits enthroned on high, who stoops down to look on the heavens and the earth” (Psalm 113:5,6)?
You have the grace of his free acceptance and the identity of his faithful approval. Hallelujah!
PRAYER: Hallelujah! Lord, I praise your name and thank you for your free and faithful grace. You are my Lord and Savior today. Amen.
ACTIVITY: Impress your friends by speaking Hebrew.