Praising Scripture - Dec 12

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

BOA.1
ACT.24

2024 31-Day Praising Day 12:

Lift Up Your Hands in Praise to God (Psalm 63:1-11)
(Memory Verses 2-4)

A Psalm of David when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
1 O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, to see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help, therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek my life, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
10 They shall fall by the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; everyone who swears by Him shall glory; but the mouth of those who speak lies shall be stopped.

Reflection:
Psalm 63 is another prayer and song of praise written by David while he was fleeing from enemies. Although he was in a desolate wilderness, David’s heart still earnestly sought the Lord, just as he had gazed upon Him in the sanctuary, beholding His power and glory. David recognized that God's "lovingkindness is better than life," and he was assured that, as a child of God Who has received such steadfast love, nothing could cause him anxiety or worry. God’s lovingkindness alone satisfies all of our hunger and thirst, and nothing can separate us from it.
As David remembered this truth, his heart was "satisfied as with marrow and fatness," and he could praise the Lord with his lips and lift up his hands in God’s name, even in the wilderness. David's experience shows us that only by faith can we lift up our hands in prayer, and also bless God's people, just as a priest offers blessings. A sincere longing for God, combined with prayer and praise, will surely lift up our hearts, fill us with God's lovingkindness, grant us peace and strength, and empower us to raise our hands, offering thanksgiving and praise to Him.
Dear brothers and sisters, in our daily practice of gratitude and praise, let us wholeheartedly seek the Lord, praise Him with our lips, and lift up our hands in prayer, thanksgiving, and worship!



年度讀經計畫

俄1
徒24

2024 讚美月 Day12:

舉手讚美 神 （詩篇63:1-11）
（背誦經文 2-4）
大衛在猶大曠野的時候，作了這詩。
1 神啊，祢是我的 神，我要切切地尋求祢！在乾旱疲乏無水之地，我渴想祢，我的心切慕祢。
2 我在聖所中曾如此瞻仰祢，為要見祢的能力和祢的榮耀。
3 因祢的慈愛比生命更好，我的嘴唇要頌讚祢。
4 我還活的時候要這樣稱頌祢，我要奉祢的名舉手。
5 我在床上記念祢，在夜更的時候思祢，我的心就像飽足了骨髓肥油，
6 我也要以歡樂的嘴唇讚美祢。
7 因為祢曾幫助我，我就在祢翅膀的蔭下歡呼。
8 我心緊緊地跟隨祢，祢的右手扶持我。
9 但那些尋索要滅我命的人，必往地底下去。
10 他們必被刀劍所殺，被野狗所吃。
11 但是王必因 神歡喜，凡指著祂發誓的，必要誇口，因為說謊之人的口必被塞住。

【心得分享】詩篇63篇又是一首大衛逃難（逃避押沙龍的追殺）中所作的禱告與讚美的詩篇。雖然他身處荒涼的曠野，但心裡仍切切地尋求主，如同他在聖所中瞻仰主、看見祂的能力與榮耀一樣。大衛因為看到祂的「慈愛比生命更好」，就確信作為得了祂慈愛的 神的兒女，已經沒有什麼事能讓自己憂思掛慮的了。單單 神的慈愛就能滿足我們一切的飢渴與需要，並且也沒有什麼能讓我們與祂的慈愛隔絕。一記念這些，大衛就心中就如同「飽足了骨髓肥油」一樣，並在曠野也能用嘴唇頌讚主，並能奉祂的名舉起手來。大衛的經歷讓我們看到，只有在信心中，我們才能舉手來禱告、也為 神的兒女祝福（如祭司的祝福一樣）。對 神真實的渴慕、禱告與讚美，一定能讓我們的心被舉起，被 神的慈愛充滿，得著平安和力量，並能舉手，越發向祂獻上感謝與讚美。親愛的同伴，在每天的感恩與讚美操練中，邀請大家一起用心切慕主，用嘴唇頌讚主，也都向祂舉起禱告、感謝和讚美的手來！