“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” Psalm 50:6

This is the last verse of the last Psalm in the Book of Psalms. The Psalms were a collection of songs composed by many different people. King David wrote many of them, but they also contain songs from Moses, Solomon and the Sons of Korah who were part of the Levitical priesthood.

These people recorded their thoughts and emotions, their doubts and their fears, sometimes in very graphic language. The purpose of the Psalms is to show us that God’s people are utterly human, with all the emotional turmoil that goes with being part of a fallen world. There are no stained-glass saints in God’s Word. All God’s people, from the fall onwards, have had their heights of spiritual insight and their depths of human depravity, doubt and despair.

The Psalms teach us to trust, obey and praise the Lord no matter what the circumstances. They are the antidote to fear, doubt and despair. The Psalms help us to get our eyes off ourselves and our problems and onto the Lord, the creator of all things and the lover of our souls.

Praise is the recurring theme of this book. When we praise God, we are magnifying Him above all other things, including our problems. We are lifting our eyes to the One who loves us the most and knows us better than we know ourselves. Praise encourages confidence to reign in our hearts in the midst of tragic circumstances that seem to be beyond our control, but which are not out of His control. Praise is the fuel that lights the fire of love in our hearts for the God who loved us enough to die for us.

Praise is not just singing songs. It is expressing through song how great and mighty our God is, and how much we love Him. David in Psalm 103 sings, “Bless the Lord oh my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name.” He is exhorting himself to praise God will all his strength, for he knew that it was God alone who was the source of his strength.

If you are feeling weak, weary or burdened with all the cares of your life, let me encourage you to set aside time to praise the Lord. It will help you to focus on the greatness of our God, renew your spiritual strength and experience more of the wrap-around love that He offers to any who call upon Him in faith.