Today’s reading is Psalm 113.
The Egyptian Hallel
Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
Though the previous two psalms also began with “hallel” or “praise,” Psalm 113-118 are an incredible series of psalms focused on praise. They are called the Eyptian Hallel, not because they were written in Egypt or because they are modeled after Egyptian psalms. Rather, these psalms became the songs sung during the memorial feasts of Israel, especially the Passover. Psalm 114 will specifically bring up the Exodus from Egypt. The surrounding psalms praise God for His chesed and faithfulness.
The Jews sing Psalm 113 and 114 before the Passover meal. They sing Psalm 115-118 after. Think about this. Obviously, the Psalms was the psalter of Jesus. Yet, very specifically, when Matthew 26:30 says Jesus and the disciples sung a hymn, Matthew very likely referred to the singing of this set of psalms.
Bless the Lord
Years ago, I kept up another blog. It became my habit to end each post with the tag line, “May God bless you. But more importantly, may you bless God.” I cannot tell you how many times people complained, declaring I was saying something unscriptural. Among the passages I would often send them in response:
Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:2-3 (ESV)
Obviously, we do not bless the Lord in the same way He blesses us. The statement was a turn of phrase, a play on words. But we most certainly must bless the Lord. That is, we praise the Lord. We say good words about Him. We declare His worth and His worthiness. We magnify His creative power. We declare His loyal love and faithfulness to His covenant people. We tell the world what He has done for us. We bless the Lord.
In fact, this psalmist declares God is to be universally blessed, to be unanimously praised. Every knee is to bow and every tongue confess, if you will, the name of God as worthy. The psalmist says praise and blessing was not merely for his own generation, but “from this time forth and forevermore.” That includes our time.
The psalmist then says it was not merely for the Israelites to praise the Lord, but the name of the Lord is to be praised “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” That didn’t mean to praise the Lord all day long, but then go to sleep when the sun goes down. Rather, the point was over the whole earth, from the place in the east where the sun rises to the place in the west where the sun sets. If you kept traveling west trying to find the place where the sun sets, you’d make it all the way around the world.
The Lord is to be praised. The Lord is to be blessed. It will be our theme meditation for the day below as well. But why not make a list of reasons you should bless and praise the Lord today?
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 113.
PODCAST!!!
PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 113 prompt or improve your praise of the Lord?
Read the Bible 