- Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Psalm 33:1 – As I read this psalm, I can’t help but be challenged in my posture of worship. How often am I truly shouting my praise? Not meaning I’m standing in church screaming at the top of my lungs, but is what’s coming from my mouth in worship fueled by joy and love and passion for the Lord? Am I singing Him a new song? Meaning is the praise from my lips just a repeat of last week’s praise or am I acknowledging all He’s done for me this week and this day and that’s fueling my praise. I see also that praise befits the upright, the ones actually living according to how scripture calls us to live. Am I living that way? If not, can I expect my worship to be pleasing to the Lord if sin has my heart all the other times of the week? Like I said at the beginning, the psalm challenges my posture in worship, and I hope it challenges yours as well. For remember who God is and remember what God has done. Not simply what He’s done for you lately, but what He’s done for you since before creation. When such remembrance occurs, I find it hard to give the Lord a lackadaisical worship. I find it hard to give the Lord a repeated, used, worn out praise. I find it hard to come before Him with a heart full of sin, for praise befits the upright. For me, the day is Sunday, and I’m about to join my church in cooperate worship, but even if that’s not about to happen for you, challenge yourself to see how your worship of the Lord can increase today. He is worthy of all the praise you can muster. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2988
- Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. Psalms 33:3 – For me this passage hit home differently than others in this psalm because I’ve recently stepped into the role at my church as the worship leader. After hearing what this verse says about our worship, it elevates our responsibility as worshippers. First it should be new, where we are willing to give God more praise each time in worship than we have last time because He deserves it. We should play skillfully and not just go into worship with a half-hearted effort. And it should be with a shout, not some weak voice that is too intimidated by what others may think of you if you truly worship. God deserves our absolute best worship. How has your worship of God been recently compared to how this psalm says it should be? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 792
- The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. Psalm 33:13-15 – God sees you. Our psalm speaks of the greatness of God. He gathers up the seas as a heap and by His breath the host of heaven were created. Yet even in all His greatness, while seated on His powerful throne in Heaven, He looks down and sees you. He sees your story, your needs, and your faithfulness to Him. I know it can feel sometimes that your story is cut off somehow from God’s view. I’ve been there myself many a time, but see what the scriptures lay out for us. Despite if we feel God’s presence or not, He is there and He is watching and He is working. Our feelings can deceive us, rest in the truth of scripture. Know God sees your story right now and He is working on your behalf. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1750
Daily DEVO 