I will Sing Praise to You

 

August 5, 2025

 Psalm 71:14-22

But as for me, I will always have hope;
I will praise you more and more.
My mouth will tell of your righteousness,
of your salvation all day long,
though I know not its measure.
I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign LORD;
I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone.
Since my youth, O God, you have taught me,
and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.
Even when I am old and gray,
do not forsake me, O God,
till I declare your power to the next generation,
your might to all who are to come.
Your righteousness reaches to the skies, O God,
you who have done great things.
Who, O God, is like you?
Though you have made me see troubles,
many and bitter,
you will restore my life again;
from the depths of the earth
you will again bring me up.
You will increase my honor
and comfort me once again.
I will praise you with the harp
for your faithfulness, O my God;
I will sing praise to you with the lyre,
O Holy One of Israel.

I hope that you all had a wonderfully refreshing long weekend.

Over the weekend I have been rereading C.S. Lewis book Reflections on the Psalms. The following passage from the book and Psalm 71 above really spoke to my spirit. Let's begin our week of devotions thinking about "Praise."

"I have never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise. … The world rings with praise—lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favorite poet, walkers praising their countryside. … I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it
glorious? … The psalmists in telling everyone to praise God are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about.

… I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its
appointed consummation. It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is
incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to
come suddenly … upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with
you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch."

C.S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms

What I’ve come to understand and keep being reminded of is that witnessing stems from worship. Sharing about God should naturally flow from our own joy in Him, just like pointing out a stunning sunset or recommending a great author or book to a friend. When you reflect on God’s beauty, glory, majesty, love, holiness, and mercy in your life, you’ll naturally feel the desire to share and proclaim His greatness. Take a moment to revisit Psalm 71, reading it slowly and noticing all the experiences the Psalmist highlights as worthy of praise. Then, let’s celebrate the hope we have in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.