Psalm 135:19-21

O house of Israel, bless the LORD! O house of Aaron, bless the LORD! O house of Levi, bless the LORD! You who fear the LORD, bless the LORD! Blessed be the LORD from Zion, He who dwells in Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!

Hear, O peoples of the Lord, bless Him and praise Him. Let the words of your lips and the song of your heart, be lifted up in praise of the Lord. Let the actions of your hands and the steps of your feet be dedicated to the advancing of the Kingdom. We are the Temple of the Living God. We are His appeal to all mankind. Let us praise the Lord.

Psalm 136:1-3

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever;

Lord, You are Goodness, the definition and personification of Good. To know Good, I must know You. To have Good, I must come to You for You are the giver of Good. Lord, You are light, You are Love, You are Good. Your steadfast love endures forever.

You are the God of Gods, the Lord of Lords, You are over all, You are the source of all, You are the Supreme, You are. Your Steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:4-9

[T]o Him who alone does great wonders, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who by understanding made the heavens, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who made the great lights, for His steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for His steadfast love endures forever;

Lord, I do not stop in my busyness as I should to reflect upon how the heavens and all of creation demonstrate Your steadfast love. The great beauty that surrounds me, the marvelous interweavings of nature, the interdependencies of botany and biology, the ebb and flow of the seasons, the progression of the lights of the heavens; all speak loudly, to one with the ears to hear and the eyes to see, of Your steadfast love. Praise You, my Lord and my Master.

Psalm 136:10-22

[T]o Him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for His steadfast love endures forever; and brought Israel out from among them, for His steadfast love endures forever; with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His steadfast love endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His steadfast love endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and His host in the Red Sea, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His steadfast love endures forever; to Him who struck down great kings, for His steadfast love endures forever; and killed mighty kings, for His steadfast love endures forever; Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His steadfast love endures forever; and Og, king of Bashan, for His steadfast love endures forever; and gave their land as a heritage, for His steadfast love endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Lord, You carried me out of the desperate place, demonstrating Your power and love as You swept away the scars and detritus of a life of rebellion; preparing a new place, a beautiful place, a place of rest and joy in Your presence. Your steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:23-26

It is He who remembered us in our low estate, for His steadfast love endures forever; and rescued us from our foes, for His steadfast love endures forever; He who gives food to all flesh, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His steadfast love endures forever.

Your steadfast love found me in my broken condition, ripped me from the hands of the Evil One, feeds me and nourishes my soul each day with the manna of Your word; praise be to Your holy Name.

Through Your steadfast love and the sacrifice of Your life, I live. I have life in Your presence. I am Your humble and grateful servant, my Lord and my Master.

Psalm 119:41-42

Let Your steadfast love come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in Your word.

Amazing, Lord, it is Your steadfast love and Your promise that provides the answers that I am to give when challenged or confronted. It is not my own cleverness or reasoning ability but I am to present Your love, Your promise and that alone. Oh, Lord, help me to trust in the sufficiency of this word.

Psalm 137:1-3

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion. On the willows there we hung up our lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our tormentors, mirth, saying, "Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"

How often do those idols that once plagued my life try to tempt me with a false sense of promised enjoyment? They promise sensual pleasure, a lifting of responsibilities, material wealth, status, a life on indolence. But nothing compares to the peace, righteousness and joy in the Holy Spirit that is life in Your Kingdom.

Psalm 137:4-6

How shall we sing the LORD's song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill! Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!

Lord, it is You that I must not forget in the hubbub and jumble of my day. I can allow myself to be captured by greed, ambition and pride, driving myself away from You. But You, Lord, have sent Your Comforter to prod, goad and remind me that You are my Jerusalem.