Thoughts for the Day

Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness

Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty firmament!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

For many years the singing of Psalm and Canticles was the staple part of Matins, in the days before the Parish Communion movement encouraged us to hold a Communion Service as the main act of worship each Sunday. The old black Cathedral Psalter held sway with chants that became our friends. The singing of Psalm 150 was a particular delight as a chorister because the chant by Charles Villiers Stanford allowed a descant to soar above the tune on the last "Praise the Lord" (see first piece of music below).

Psalm 150, the last psalm in the book is a glorious song of praise, surpassing any other in the Psalter. Every verse bids us to praise God - from the orchestra made up of trumpets, lute, harp, tambourine, stringed instruments, pipes, and cymbals; to the singers with their repetition of "praise"; to the people who are to "dance"; and finally creation is bidden to "Praise the Lord!"

That little descant might have been pathetically short, but nevertheless it was sung with fervent joy, a joy that lifted my earthbound spirit in worship to my Maker,

Almighty God,
sometimes we are so full of our woes
and requests that we forget to praise You.
May we learn to praise You each day,
in words or music,
aloud or in our hearts,
May our hearts fill with gratitude and joy
as we lift our souls to You.
Amen.