Psalm 148 begins, "Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights! Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his host! Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars! Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!" The author continues for another hundred and forty two words, filling ten verses with words of praise to a creative and sustaining God.
The author suggests, infers, and instructs that for God to be properly praised, everything (and every thing is listed), must be involved in active praise. All things animate and inanimate, heavenly and earthly, literally all of creation are invited to praise the living and life giving Lord.
For us it might seem strange to have the Psalmist suggest that plant, rocks, trees, animals, sun, moon, sky and water could praise right along with humanity. Yet the author did not differentiate. All these and more were God's creation and each had a part in creation's call to worship.
If we copied the Psalm writer we might say something like, "Let each of us praise God." With our televisions, and microwaves, with our cars, and boats, with our compact discs, and earphones, with our fitness machines and manicured lawns...let all of us praise God. The author intended for all of humanity to be aware that God is the creator and as creatures of God's creative act we are compelled to use all we have and all we are to offer praise and thanksgiving.
The intent of the author travels across time and touches us now with no less power if we would but allow. An appropriate thing to contemplate at year's end. An exciting way to live a life in a new year.
Dr. Joey K. McDonald
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Ave., No. Hollywood, CA 91601
First United Methodist Church
4832 Tujunga Ave., No. Hollywood, CA 91601
