Psalm 113

1 Praise the LORD.
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.

2 Let the name of the LORD be praised,
both now and forevermore.

3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.

4 The LORD is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.

5 Who is like the LORD our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,

6 who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?

7 He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

8 he seats them with princes,
with the princes of their people.

9 He settles the barren woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.
Praise the LORD.

I can’t help but notice that the psalmist started and ended the psalm using the same words: “praise the Lord”. Do we say “praise the Lord” as the first thing we do when every morning when we wake up? Do we say “praise the Lord” as the last thing we do before we turn in for the night?

I confess there are many times that I did not. When I wake up, I sometimes just rush through the reading of psalms and zoomed off to school. At night, sometimes I felt disappointed by certain that happened in the day. I just went to bed without muttering a word of thanks to the Lord.

I think the principle is this. Every time we start something – for instance waking up, or start working on a project, etc, the first thing we should do as Christians (who are passionate for the Lord) is to “praise the Lord”. In the midst of doing something, we should “praise the Lord”. Then finally at the end of every task, we should again “praise the Lord” – regardless of the result. God will surely allow us to go through difficulties and failures so that we can be molded to be more like Christ. Isn’t that something to “praise the Lord” for?


I want to make “praise the Lord” the most common phrase in my life. I want to mean what I say, and say what I mean. Lord, I need Your grace in this. I can’t do it alone.


Things to ponder
1. What areas in your life do you find yourself always praising the Lord? Be encouraged.
2. What areas in your life do you find it hard to praise the Lord for? Be honest.
3. Pray for yourself to be passionate about the Lord and be able to praise Him at all times. Be humbled.