Bless the Lord!

This year has been a rough one for us and we are still feeling the effects from it. But through it all, we know that God is good and He is with us, even when we don’t feel Him. We know that God is working in us. We know because He keeps His promises and we have seen His blessings in our lives and others. So often, when times are hard, we don’t see the promises and blessings at the time, but later on in life we look back and are thankful for all the things He has done. Even when we are going through struggles, we need to be reminded of all His goodness and the blessings we already have. Therefore, let us bless the Lord, be thankful of Him, and praise His name as we see throughout the scriptures.

Psalms 104:1-15

Bless the LORD, O my soul!

O LORD my God, You are very great:

You are clothed with honor and majesty,

Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,

Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,

Who makes the clouds His chariot,

Who walks on the wings of the wind,

Who makes His angels spirits,

His ministers a flame of fire.

You who laid the foundations of the earth,

So that it should not be moved forever,

You covered it with the deep as with a garment;

The waters stood above the mountains.

At Your rebuke they fled;

At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.

They went up over the mountains;

They went down into the valleys,

To the place which You founded for them.

You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,

That they may not return to cover the earth.

He sends the springs into the valleys;

They flow among the hills.

They give drink to every beast of the field;

The wild donkeys quench their thirst.

By them the birds of the heavens have their home;

They sing among the branches.

He waters the hills from His upper chambers;

The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.

He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,

And vegetation for the service of man,

That he may bring forth food from the earth,

And wine that makes glad the heart of man,

Oil to make his face shine,

And bread which strengthens man’s heart.

The Psalm starts by blessing the Lord and then describing some of the reasons why. God created the universe and everything in it. He provides for all His creation. There is nothing He cannot do and nothing He wouldn’t do to show His goodness to those in need.

Psalms 105:1-5

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

Remember His marvelous works which He has done,

His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.

Psalms 100:1-5

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has 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 to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

After all the Lord has done, we should shout His praises. We should remember all the deeds He has done. Not only did He create us, but He cares for us. He guides us. He gives us strength.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

Our God is all powerful and He will give us strength when we are weak. He is a loving God. Why would we not praise Him and worship Him? He sent His only Son to die for us and take away our sins so that we may be declared righteous and be His sons and daughters forever if we believe.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Galatians 4:4-7

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Yes, the God who created all things, who is mighty and powerful, who at His very word the world was created, the mountains came into being, the sun brought us light and warmth, loves each of us more than we could imagine. So let us bless the Lord and praise His name.

Jude 1:24-25

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.