Praise the LORD!
Praise the name of the LORD,
give praise, O servants of the LORD,
who stand in the house of the LORD,
in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;
sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,
Israel as his own possession.
For I know that the LORD is great,
and that our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,
who makes lightnings for the rain
and brings forth the wind from his storehouses.
He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,
both of man and of beast;
who in your midst, O Egypt,
sent signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants;
who struck down many nations and killed mighty kings,
Sihon, king of the Amorites,
and Og, king of Bashan,
and all the kingdoms of Canaan,
and gave their land as a heritage,
a heritage to his people Israel.
Your name, O LORD, endures forever,
your renown, O LORD throughout all ages.
For the LORD will vindicate his people
and have compassion on his servants.
The idols of the nations are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
They have mouths, but do not speak;
they have eyes, but do not see;
they have ears, but do not hear,
nor is there any breath in their mouths.
Those who make them become like them,
so do all who trust in them.
O house of Israel, bless the LORD!
O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!
O house of Levi, bless the LORD!
You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD!
Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who dwells in Jerusalem!
Praise the LORD!
Gracious God and Heavenly Father,
You are great and good. You are the God who is. You created the universe and everything in it and you reign over all creation. You are worthy of all praise! You chose Israel for yourself to be your covenant people and you saved them from slavery in Egypt. You gave them land and protection from their enemies who surrounded them. You preserved a remnant of faithful believers, and extended your saving grace to anyone who would repent and believe. Father you have saved us as well, from the slavery of sin through the atoning sacrifice of your Son, our Lord Jesus and you have adopted us into your family. You have promised us not land, but a heavenly home in your eternal kingdom. Thank you, LORD!
Father, we pity those who are blind to your promises and who cling to idols and beliefs that are false. Manmade idols cannot save and those who trust in them have false hope. Worship of anything other than the one true God leads to emptiness and death. Open the eyes of the unbelieving; soften their hearts and turn them to you. Father, we thank you for your loving compassion, for sending Jesus as a substitute to pay for our sins on the cross, and for resurrecting him to show us that he has conquered death and sin. Jesus, the living God, is one with you and with the Holy Spirit and is man’s only hope.
May our response to so great a salvation be ever-growing thankfulness, obedience and cheerful service that brings glory to your name.
In Christ’s name. AMEN.