Commonplace Holiness: Praying the Psalms

Commonplace Holiness:

In spite of the fact that it comes out of a deep sense of the failure of the nation, Psalm 106 opens (literally!) with a "Hallelujah!":

הַלְלוּיָהּ הוֹדוּ לַיהוָה כִּי־טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ

"Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving-kindness is everlasting." (Psalms 106:1 NASB).

It is an exhortation. The "hallelujah" is an imperative. I'm being told to praise.

I don't think this simply commands an emotion. I think this is different than: "Don't worry, be happy." I think I am being told to turn my mind toward the God who alone is worthy of praise.

Emotion cannot be commanded. But, emotion arises when I turn my mind toward something that awakens that feeling. To feel an emotion, I must find the object that arouses it.

Sin, guilt and failure cannot be allowed to be the last word. It leaves me in despair. We turn from ourselves toward God.

And, as we remember that God is good (טוֹב) and that God’s stedfast love (חֶסֶד) endures forever hope and joy and purpose stir in us again.

It is true, I think, that as the Creator and Source of our life God is worthy of praise. But, it is God's character, known through the history of salvation, that truly awakens praise. God is good.

God demonstrates a never-gives-up love (חֶסֶד) which continually chases after us.

So, the strength and vitality of my praise today depends upon my belief that God is good and gracious and merciful and loyal and persistent.

I attended a Prayer Retreat with a small group of fellow pastors from the Byron area this week. We spent some time at

St. Gregory's Abbey in Three Rivers, Michigan. We were there from Monday evening to Tuesday afternoon. I appreciate places like this where silence and meditation are practiced. Being on retreat in a place like this is an invitation to silence and to mindfulness about ourselves and God's presence with us.

I am beginning to feel a re-awakening of my desire to be with God, to be in prayer, to meditate anew on the Scriptures. I want to listen. I want to experience (recognize!) God's presence.

I want to affirm for myself anew that God is good and stedfast and loyal and gracious and loving.

I am not in the hands of fate (or the Bishop, for that matter). I am in the hands of God.

מִי יְמַלֵּל גְּבוּרוֹת יְהוָה יַשְׁמִיעַ כָּל־תְּהִלָּתוֹ

"Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise?" (Psalm 106:2 NASB).

At times my prayers are filled with words. But, if God's deeds cannot be adequately recounted, what is the importance of my words? At times I so want my words to reflect the emotion

I feel (or think I ought to feel). At times all the words seem empty and inadequate and pointless. What do I need to tell God? Nothing. Do I really need to fill God in on things? No. What does all my knowledge amount to when placed against the greatness of God? Nothing.

Job finally confessed: “...I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know." (Job 42:3 NRSV).

God's greatness is beyond expression. Our words fail. There is a deep form of praise that is silent.

"But the Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!" (Habakkuk 2:20 NRSV).

Lord God,

Let my praise be finally swallowed up in silence,

Not because I will the silence

but because there are no longer any words

that are adequate. Amen.

— Craig L. Adams

Earlier posts in this series can be found listed as “Praying the Psalms” on either the Bible Studies page of the Prayer page. An introduction to this series can be found here: Praying the Psalms: An Introduction.

Psalm 106: 1 & 2

Thursday, October 2, 2008