“Praise the Lord.

How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Psalm 147:1-3 (ESV)

AUGUST 11, 2025

Praise is our proper response to the living God. As finite people, we stand in awe of the infinite One who created the universe, and who, in His great love, provided the means for us to enter into a personal relationship with Himself. A God like this is worthy of our highest praise! Yet He is beyond our comprehension, and His ways are unfathomable.

Singing praises to our Lord from the heart is one way to actively participate in worship. Hymn writers elevate our thoughts through poetic expression of Scripture. Congregational singing is a corporate expression of adoration to the Lord. Singing elevates the spirits of worshippers deepening emotional and mental connections with our God, encouraging our devotion to Him.

We praise a God who does not stand aloof from His world. He discerns the sorrow of shattered dreams and is sensitive to the pain of the brokenhearted. He sees the failures and disappointments of our lives and bids us come and worship. There is no pretense before Him. Nothing is hidden from His knowledge. Worship reminds us that in the midst of our mess we are loved. There is something about worship that puts other things in perspective. We raise our focus away from ourselves to see our heavenly Father who builds up His church, gathers exiles from afar, heals the brokenhearted, and binds up our wounds.

Worship begets action. Some people become estranged from friends and family. Hearts get broken. Wounds are real. When the psalmist writes, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds,” we must ask, “Am I breaking or harming someone? Is there someone in my life who needs my encouragement or could use my assistance?”

God is in the business of restoration, and those who genuinely know Him count it a privilege to be His instruments in the process.

Questions for reflection and discussion:

  • How does singing praises to our God in worship deepen your emotional and mental connections with the Lord?
  • How has worship renewed you in the midst of your mess?
  • What is a specific action that worship has led you to pursue?

Church Reading Plan:

  • 1 Samuel 1; Romans 1