Responding with Praise – IV

A study of some of the Psalms in Section IV

An Invitation to Study from Women in the Word

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Do you agree that music and song are one of God’s greatest gifts to you and me? People around the world love music. From a mother’s sweet lullaby to the consolation of music in times of grief; from the earliest music lesson to the creative genius of the greatest composers; from the gentleness of the bird’s song or rustling of the wind to the excitement of the crashing symbols and beating drum. Music enriches and enhances our lives every day.

It isn’t surprising then that the Bible is full of examples of all kinds of music. There is David and his harp and the Israelite band that played when the ark came back home. There is Mary and her tender song and the angelic choir that sang to the shepherds. Job tells us that it is God who gives him “songs in the night”. Perhaps the most notable of all these musical illustations is the ancient hymnbook that is recorded for us. It is a collection of songs written over a period of 1,000 years by a variety of people. These songs have been sung through the centuries and continue to be the basis of new music written even today.

Why, you may ask, are these Psalms so ageless? While there are many reasons, certainly one of them is that they help us capture the greatness of our God and give us words to express our worship and praise. The whole gamut of human emotion and experience can be found in these songs. They help us look at life, not simply from our own vantage point, but also from the point of view of others. We desperately need to identify with believers of the past and with believers around the world if we are to fully appreciate the greatness of God.

Section Four of the Psalms, chapters 90 – 106, includes a wide variety of themes. May you be moved to “bow down in worship and kneel before the Lord, your Maker”, as you respond to His greatness and His care for you – Psalm 95.

Sincerely, Marilyn Miller

© 2006 by Marilyn Miller