Day 186

Hallelujah

Read: Psalms 111-118

Most of the psalms in this section begin with “Praise the Lord” which in Hebrew is Hallelujah. This is to be the constant attitude of our hearts. Psalms 111 and 112 are both acrostics (each having 22 lines beginning with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet). Psalm 111 describes God with a mention of his “works” in half the verses. God is an active God, revealing the kind of God he is by what he does. So also our actions show what kind of people we are. Psalm 112 describes the godly, and in several cases uses the same words to describe God and the godly. To be godly is to be like God.

The rest of the psalms in this section are called the Egyptian Hallel, since they were used at the Jewish Passover to express gratitude for the rescue of God’s people from Egypt. The first two were sung before the Passover meal, the last four after it. Psalm 114 describes the rescue vividly; our rescue from sin is likewise cause for such excitement. While Psalm 114 looks to the past, Psalm 115 emphasizes that God is the God of the present. Psalm 116 tells us that we best express our gratitude to God by receiving the salvation he offers us. Psalm 117 commands all nations to praise God. Think of it: these were the psalms Jesus and his followers sang the night before his crucifixion.

PRAYER
Father, we praise you for the rescue far more wonderful than that of the exodus. Through Christ. Amen.