Psalms – Prayers of Honest Praise
It is the day after Christmas. The house is quiet. We reflect on the holiness of this season still giving honor and glory to God who came to earth, conquered evil and is now back with God preparing a place for we who believe. This is a Holy moment when we think first of Jesus, His love, His sacrifice and His Father who sent Him to save us. God loves us that much! This gift will not need to be exchanged or returned, modified, assembled or attached. This gift will not have payment installments or show up on January’s credit card statement. This gift comes stamped: “Debt paid in full”. This gift is Jesus.
This gift is undeserved. You can’t earn it, can’t work for it, or pay it back. It just is. This gift is freely given so that we may receive it and be free. Wow. All we do is love God back for loving us first. We trust and obey while accepting all that God has to offer, full of His grace and mercy. Wow.
The writer of our next psalm must have had a holy moment as he wrote…
Psalm 99, The Message
1-3 God rules. On your toes, everybody!He rules from his angel throne—take notice!
God looms majestic in Zion,
He towers in splendor over all the big names.
Great and terrible your beauty: let everyone praise you!
Holy. Yes, holy.
4-5 Strong King, lover of justice,
You laid things out fair and square;
You set down the foundations in Jacob,
Foundation stones of just and right ways.
Honor God, our God; worship his rule!
Holy. Yes, holy.
6-9 Moses and Aaron were his priests,Samuel among those who prayed to him.
They prayed to God and he answered them;
He spoke from the pillar of cloud.
And they did what he said; they kept the law he gave them.
And then God, our God, answered them
(But you were never soft on their sins).
Lift high God, our God; worship at his holy mountain.
Holy. Yes, holy is God our God.
COME AND WORSHIP!The psalmist describes the throne of the Lord and encourages the people to exalt the Lord as they worship Him. Jehovah sits upon the throne in heaven, but in the psalmist’s day, He was also enthroned on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies of the sanctuary on Mount Zion. God chose this to be His dwelling place while meeting the needs of His people. It was there that God’s glory rested, and from there God spoke to Moses and ruled the nation of Israel. God chose the Jews to be His vehicle for telling the Gentile nations about the true and living God. Our salvation has been God’s agenda since creation began.
COME TO THE THRONE OF GOD!
You could not approach the throne of the king of Persia unless the king held out his scepter and gave you permission, but access to God’s throne is available to His children through Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:19-25).
Under the old covenant, God provided priests who ministered at the altar and were mediators between His needy people and their Lord, but today Jesus Christ is the Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5) who constantly intercedes for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).
To the lost sinner, God’s throne is a throne of judgment, but to the believer, it is a throne of grace, and we can come to Him with our worship and praise as well as our burdens and needs.
Holy, Yes, Holy is Our God!
HEART CHECK:How does knowing the Lord reigns affect your family life, your job, and your general outlook on life?
Pause in a holy moment and describe the feelings and thoughts you get when you picture God on His throne as this psalm portrays Him. Why can you approach God’s throne “with confidence” (Heb. 4:16)?
Holy, holy, holy
Lord, God Almighty
Who was and is
And evermore to be…
Sing with me…Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee,
casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee,
who wert and art and evermore shalt be.
Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee,
though the eye made blind by sin thy glory may not see,
only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
perfect in power, in love, and purity.
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All thy works shall praise thy name, in earth and sky and sea;
holy, holy, holy! merciful and mighty,
God in three persons, blessed Trinity!
Dear Heavenly Father,
We come to your throne with confidence with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts. Thank you for a holy moment this morning to talk with you, to listen and to love you more and more. Thank you for your salvation, Jesus. Thank you for the Presence, Holy Spirit. Thank you for being with us always, meeting every need with your pure love, our Father in Heaven.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
I believe.
God came down in the form of a child. His Word told humanity before it happened. Those who believe and trust in Him praise God for His work of salvation. 
5 Round up an orchestra to play for God,
There is nothing more right and good than to shout out praise to God on this date that men decided long ago to mark on the calendar as the day before the knowledge of the birth of our Savior. Why? God sent His Son to earth to be born of a virgin. 
His Son grew up, perfect in all ways. He was not anything special to look at on the outside but had everything the world wanted, needed desperately and clamored to get…except to those who were jealous and fearful of losing position and power. 
God rules: there’s something to shout over!
10 God loves all who hate evil,
1-2 Sing God a brand-new song!
Yes and Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
Come and worship! Raise the roof with praise! Today’s prayer of praise for the God of reminds us of all God has done in our own lives. Lift the rafters with our hymns! Be grateful for all God is doing…even today. Drop everything else and just watch for Him at work! It’s not hard when we focus on Him. 
Psalm 95, The Message
3-5 And why? Because God is the best,
7-11 Drop everything and listen, listen as he speaks:
Pretty simple, right? It’s not easy in this busy world full of people (all of us) with short attention spans, who are easily distracted while listening to everything around us at once. But the imperative still stands…Come and worship! Bow on your knees before God. March into His courts with singing. Raise the roof! Look and listen for God!
5-7 They walk all over your people, God,
12-15 How blessed the man you train, God,
16-19 Who stood up for me against the wicked?
1. Praying to the Lord for Justice (vv. 1-7). God hears!
3. Accepting God’s Discipline (vv. 12-15).
5 What you say goes—it always has.
1. God Reigns Supremely (vv. 1-2). HE is God and we are not. He is all power, all strength and reigns above all His creation and created.
3. God Always Keeps His Word (v. 5). What He says goes–it always has. And always will! Today, listen closely to what God says personally to each of us through this “psalm” by someone who sees God over all her circumstances and feelings…one who knows God well…and responds to His love.
You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
HEART CHECK:
We were created to love Him back because He first loved us…with a love that is more than we can imagine…a love that laid down His life for us at Calvary! New cycle of praise matures in us. We do the right thing, even when no one is watching, because of our deep, intimate love for our Savior and Lord! It is because of this relationship that we mature in our thinking about praise and giving thanks. 
PAUSE TO PRAISE AND GIVE THANKS… 
Dear Heavenly Father,
1-13 You who sit down in the High God’s presence,
You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
14-16 “If you’ll hold on to me for dear life,” says God,
12-17 Oh! Teach us to live well!
HEART CHECK:
