Behold, bless the Lord, all servants of the Lord, who serve by night in the house of the Lord!
2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.
2 Lift up your hands to the sanctuary and bless the Lord.
3 May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who made heaven and earth.
Praise the Lord! Praise the name of the Lord; praise Him, O servants of the Lord,
2 You who stand 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 praises to His name, for it is lovely.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.
2 You who stand 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 praises to His name, for it is lovely.
4 For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.
5 For I know that the Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
6 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
8 He smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He smote many nations and slew mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your name, O Lord, is everlasting, Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, the work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; they have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear, nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.
9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He smote many nations and slew mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, and Og, king of Bashan, and all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as a heritage, a heritage to Israel His people.
13 Your name, O Lord, is everlasting, Your remembrance, O Lord, throughout all generations.
14 For the Lord will judge His people and will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, the work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; they have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear, nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them, yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the Lord; O house of Aaron, bless the Lord;
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord; you who revere the Lord, bless the Lord.
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
20 O house of Levi, bless the Lord; you who revere the Lord, bless the Lord.
21 Blessed be the Lord from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
4 To Him who alone does great wonders, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
5 To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
7 To Him who made the great lights, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
8 The sun to rule by day, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
9 The moon and stars to rule by night, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
4 To Him who alone does great wonders, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
5 To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
7 To Him who made the great lights, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
8 The sun to rule by day, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
9 The moon and stars to rule by night, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
10 To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
11 And brought Israel out from their midst, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
15 But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
17 To Him who smote great kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
18 And slew mighty kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
20 And Og, king of Bashan, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
21 And gave their land as a heritage, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
22 Even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
11 And brought Israel out from their midst, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
13 To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
14 And made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
15 But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
17 To Him who smote great kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
18 And slew mighty kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
20 And Og, king of Bashan, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
21 And gave their land as a heritage, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
22 Even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
23 Who remembered us in our low estate, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
24 And has rescued us from our adversaries, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
25 Who gives food to all flesh, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
24 And has rescued us from our adversaries, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
25 Who gives food to all flesh, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Reminder: "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will. When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!
It is God's will:
- that we are not afraid to lift up our hands when worshiping the Lord (134:2)
- that we praise the Lord (135:1, 3, 21)
- that we praise the name of the Lord (135:1)
- that we give thanks to the Lord (136:1-3, 26)
- that we sing praises to the Lord's name (135:3)
- that we bless the Lord (134:1-2, 135:20)
- that Israel as a nation bless the Lord (135:19-21)
Today's prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your everlasting lovingkindness. Thank You for being our Savior and our refuge. Let us not be ashamed to praise You, and bless Your name, and lift up our hands to You. To physically lift our hands to You as a show of commitment and honor.
I apologize for all those years of stubbornly feeling like "I didn't have to" - because in my mind I was lifting my hands to You - and that should have been good enough. But You deserve our everything. And since putting down my pride and actually lifting my hands to You - I see and feel the difference, and I am humbled in Your presence. And I do not care what people around me are thinking. Help me to stay focused on loving, worshiping, and serving You. Amen.
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