Thankful Praises for Miracles Yet to Unfold

Psalm 105:1–6 NRSV

O give thanks to the Lord, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually. Remember the wonderful works he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he has uttered, O offspring of his servant Abraham, children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

INTRODUCTION

FOR THOSE WHO LOVE TO PRAISE THE LORD PSALM 105 IS A FRIEND THAT TELLS THE STORY OF ISRAEL, AND A

FRIEND THAT HELPS US EXCLAIM THE RICHNESS

OF THE MELODY OF THIS SONG, THE RHYTHM OF THIS SONG, THE BEAUTY OF GOD’S DEEDS, GOD’S SALVATION,

GOD’S GLORY AND EVEN THE “MIRACLES” AND THE “JUDGMENTS” GOD UTTERED, AS IT SAYS IN VERSE 5.......

IT HELPS US UNDERSTAND THE MUSIC THE GREAT PROTESTANT REFORMER MARTIN LUTHER WAS REFERRING TO

WHEN HE WROTE:

MUSIC IS A FAIR AND GLORIOUS GIFT OF GOD.....MUSIC MAKES PEOPLE KINDER, GENTLER, MORE STAID AND

REASONABLE.......THE DEVIL FLEES

BEFORE THE SOUNDS OF MUSIC ALMOST AS MUCH AS BEFORE THE WORD OF GOD....

AND ALL THE PSALMS FOR US AREN’T JUST SONGS ABOUT ISRAEL, OR SONGS PENNED BY KING DAVID OR ASAPH,

THESE PSALMS AREN’T JUST HISTORIES LIKE

THIS HISTORICAL PSALM WE KNOW AS PSALM 105 WRITTEN ABOUT EVENTS ON EARTH LONG, LONG AGO......

RELATIVELY RECENT STORIES INCLUDE THE ONE ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING GOSPEL ARTISTS, BILL AND GLORIA

GAITHER:

ONE EVENING WHEN THEY WERE IN CONCERT IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA THEIR MUSIC LITERALLY

TRANSFORMED THE AUDITORIUM WHERE THEY WERE SINGING. BY SINGING UNFORGETTABLE WORDS AND

CATCHY MELODIES, CONCERTGOERS CAME TOGETHER AROUND THE OLD, OLD STORY OF JESUS.

THAT EVENING CHRIST-EXALTING MUSIC CONNECTED THE PEOPLE WITH GOD IN WAYS THAT CANNOT BE

FULLY DESCRIBED. A CROWD INTENDING TO BE SPECTATORS BECAME A CONGREGATION OF WORSHIPERS.

THAT GATHERING WAS LIVING WITNESS TO FEELING MUSICIANS CAN SOMETIMES GET THAT SAYS, “WE PLAY

THE NOTES BUT IT IS GOD, GOD THAT MAKES THE MUSIC”

Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (Psalms, Book Of)

Psalms can be understood as a collection of covenant hymns from loyal subjects to their Creator, Redeemer &

Sustainer

AFTERALL PSALMS 105:2 REMINDS US TO

Psalm 105:2 NRSV

Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wonderful works.

AND BOTH PSALMS 105 AND 106 BOTH BEGIN AND END WITH ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PRAISE AND HONOR GOD

PSALM 105 BEGINS WITH THE POWERFUL LINE, “PRAISE THE LORD, O GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, CALL ON HIS

NAME” AND ENDS WITH THE LINE, “PRAISE THE LORD.” AND PSALM 106 BEGINS AGAIN WITH “PRAISE THE LORD, O

GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD FOR HE IS GOOD” AND ENDS WITH THE LINE, “AND LET ALL THE PEOPLE SAY, AMEN!

PRAISE THE LORD!!

AND WHEN THANKFULNESS IS COMBINED WITH OUR PRAISES BELOVEDS, O HOW THE HEAVENS MUST REJOICE…

ON YOUR WAY TO YOUR NEXT MIRACLE THANKFUL PRAISES CAN ONLY HELP ON THE JOURNEY, THANKFUL PRAISES

WILL PAVE THE WAY AND THE JOY YOU FEEL WILL BE NO ACCIDENT......WE’LL CELEBRATE THE OBSERVATION OF

OUR FRIEND, UMC PREACHER REVEREND STEVE GOODIER WHO WROTE:

“The more we express thanks, the more gratitude we feel. The more gratitude we feel, the more we express

thanks. It's circular, and it leads to a happier life."

THE PSALMS HELP PREPARE US FOR OUR NEXT MIRACLE FOR AT LEAST 3 REASONS BELOVEDS.....

THE PSALMS BLESS OUR EARS IN OUR LISTENING, SINGING AND SHARING

IN A WORLD WHERE NEGATIVE MESSAGING IS SO PREVALENT, SO POWERFULLY PUT BEFORE US AND SO

PURPOSEFULLY PUSHED......WE AS, BELIEVERS NEED TO LISTEN TO THE THINGS THAT PAVE THE WAY FOR OUR

HEARTS TO SING AGAIN.........IN PSALM 105 OUR PSALM FOR THE MORNING....WE HEAR OF ISRAEL’S VICTORIES, THE

THINGS THAT CAUSE THEM TO THANK GOD OVER AND OVER AGAIN.....ONE COMMENTATOR ON THE TEXT NOTED IT

THIS WAY:

In this historical psalm, all is sunlight and success, from Abraham through Jacob in the nomadic infancy of

the nation, to Egypt and Joseph; through multiplying numbers under Moses and Aaron to the plagues that

made Egypt glad when they left. The journey to Canaan is swiftly recounted, with everything easy,

satisfactory, miraculous. In the lands of the nations they fell heirs to what others had toiled for, and all

ended happily.

The immediate purpose of this liturgical recital of the story of the nation is to stir the people once again to

thanksgiving, praise, glorying in God’s name; and to the living faith which still looks to this covenant-

keeping God and ever seeks his face.1

IT WILL COME AS NO SURPRISE THEN AND IN THE LIFE ISRAEL’S WORSHIP, WAS USED

IN MAJOR FESTIVALS AND WAS OFTEN CALLED A “GRATEFUL RECOLLECTION” WHAT

WE MIGHT CALL IN OUR TIME AND OUR PARLANCE, PRECIOUS MEMORIES OF THE

MIRACLES GOD HAS ALREADY DONE......

WHEN GOSPEL SONG WRITER WILLIAM MURPHY PUT PEN TO PAPER AND THEN

LAYERED ON SOME MELODIC NOTES, AND RICH THICK HARMONIES TOO…HE GAVE US

THIS GEM, THIS PRECIOUS SONG TO KEEP EDIFYING OUR FAITH....IN THE IN-BETWEEN

TIMES OF OUR LIVES......

I vow to praise You (when you gon' praise Him church?) Through the good and the bad I'll praise You (whether happy or sad) Whether happy or sad (I will) I'll praise You (thank you Jesus) In all that I go through (yeah) Because praise is what I do 'Cause I owe it all to You

Praise is what I do (even when I'm going through) Even when I'm going through (say, I finally learned church) I've learned to worship You

BELOVEDS, THESE ARE THANKFUL PRAISES AT THEIR BEST, THANKFUL PRAISES THAT ENCOURAGE AND TEACH

BELIEVERS NOT TO GIVE UP, NOT TO GIVE IN, SO THE NEXT MIRACLE CAN COME IN ON GOD’S CUE, IN DUE TIME....IN

GOD’S TIME.....AMEN?

THANKFUL PRAISE FOR THE SMALL MIRACLES TOO

MY UNITED METHODIST COLLEAGUE, REV LAURA PARKER, CLOSED OUT A DEVOTION WITH A POWERFUL

PRAYER....SHE WAS STRUGGLING BECAUSE SHE KNEW SHE WOULD ROUTINELY PRAY FOR GOD TO WORK OUT THE

BIG MIRACLES SHE BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH......SHE PRAYED FOR THOSE WHO HAD CANCER, FOR THE FRIEND

GIVING BIRTH AFTER GOING THROUGH A HIGH RISK PREGNANCY, FOR THE FOLKS GETTING MEDICAL TESTING FOR

CONDITIONS AND ANSWERS TO SITUATIONS PREVIOUSLY UNDIAGNOSED OR UNKNOWN......

SHE WENT ON TO WRITE,

“But I somehow think there are all sorts of tiny little miracles God wants to work every day in my life, if only I would

give these over with the same kind of fervent trust and prayer. Wouldn’t it be a wonderful miracle if God could help

me think before I offer an opinion, maybe even just breathe for a moment or two first? What kind of miracle would it

be if I would get out of bed a half-hour earlier and spend the time in my journal, putting pen to paper and making

sense out of the messy thoughts that sometimes crowd my vision and judgment?”

HERE’S THE PRAYER SHE PRAYED AND I SHARE IT WITH YOU TO REMEMBER THE TONE, AS YOU FASHION YOUR OWN

PRAYERS BEFORE THE LORD OUR GOD IN THE WEEK AHEAD....AS YOU PRAY, JUST TO MAKE IT DAY TO DAY, A YOU

PRAY FOR GOD TO MAKE A WAY OUT OF NO WAY, AS YOU PRAY TO FINALLY SEE AND SHARE IN YOUR NEXT MIRACLE

THE ONE GOD HAS YET TO UNFOLD....PRAY LIKE THIS:

Oh, God who created the universe and hung the sun and moon and stars in the sky above, thank you that

you want to do BIG things for all of us as we come to you in prayer. But thank you, also, that you are the God

of small miracles. The things that may seem too insignificant to lay before you in prayer may be for us the

very training ground that builds our faith so that we trust all of who we are to you. Help us to be faithful,

believing that you are always faithful toward us. In Christ I pray, Amen.

CONCLUSION

AS YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR NEXT MIRACLE…BE ENCOURAGED BY PSALM 69: 30

Psalm 69:30 (NRSV)

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

PAUL’S TIMELESS ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE CORINTHIANS IS JUST AS RELEVANT TODAY FOR US....RECEIVE IT FROM 2 CORINTHIANS 4: 15

2 Corinthians 4:15 NRSV

Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

AS WE CELEBRATE ALL THE GIFTS OF GOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD, AS WE CONSIDER OUR NEXT MIRACLE A

GRACIOUS AND GRACE FILLED GIFT OF GOD ALL BY ITSELF....BELOVEDS....REMEMBER THE THE ENCOURAGEMENT

OF THE AMERICAN ESSAYIST, LEWIS HYDE WHO FAMOUSLY WROTE:

BETWEEN THE TIME A GIFT COMES TO US AND THE TIME WE PASS IT ALONG, WE SUFFER GRATITUDE

AND IT IS THE THE THANKFUL PRAISES AND BLESSING OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN, APACHE COMMUNITY THAT I

CLOSE WITH TODAY AS WE PREPARE TO SHARE THE COMMUNION TABLE TODAY:

May the Sun Bring You New Energy by Day, May the Moon Softly Restore You by Night, May the Rain Wash

Away Your Worries, May the Breeze Blow New Strength into Your Being, May You Walk Gently Through the

World And Know Its Beauty All the Days of Your Life.

Zehring, John. Music of the Spheres: Hymns on Loving and Tending the Earth (Hymn Meditations and Stories) (pp. 35-36). Kindle Edition. 

AS YOU WALK GENTLY THROUGH THE WORLD, BELOVEDS, SEEKING TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ITS BEAUTY DAY BY DAY

MAY YOUR NEXT MIRACLE AND EVEN MANY SMALL MIRACLES GOD HAS YET TO UNFOLD TOUCH YOUR LIVES AND

THE LIVES OF ALL THOSE YOU LOVE.....AMEN.