READ Psalm 135:1–12. 1 Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD, 2 you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. 3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession. 5 I know that the LORD is great, that our Lord is greater than all gods. 6 The LORD does whatever pleases him, in the heavens and on the earth, in the seas and all their depths. 7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth; he sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. 8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of people and animals. 9 He sent his signs and wonders into your midst, Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants. 10 He struck down many nations and killed mighty kings— 11 Sihon king of the Amorites, Og king of Bashan, and all the kings of Canaan— 12 and he gave their land as an inheritance, an inheritance to his people Israel.
THE GOD TO PRAISE. Why should we praise God? We should praise him because he is good (verse 3). But we should also praise him because it is good; it brings us true pleasure (verse 3) because it fits our most fundamental longings and created nature. And we should praise him because, astonishingly, in his grace he finds us good. He regards us as his treasure (verse 4), a profoundly comforting claim. Finally, we should praise him because he works all things together for good (verse 6; cf. Romans 8:28). You are surrounded by his love!
Prayer: Lord, I praise you that whatever you will is good—because you are good. And I praise you that this is no affront to my freedom but rather its grounding. I can’t, ultimately, mess up my life, because you are in charge, and because you love me. Amen.