From Confession to Praise
Psalm 135:13 – Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.
Reading: Psalm 135:5-18
Why is it that we praise and worship the LORD? What is it that makes the LORD’s renown or reputation spread far and wide? It is his work of creation and redemption.
The LORD created all things and upholds all things by his providence (vv. 6-7). Nothing is beyond the LORD’s power and control in this vast universe. That is his greatness! While on this earth, our Saviour Jesus Christ also demonstrated divine power and providence with regard to creation—by stilling storms, for example—thereby giving people reason to confess him and worship him as God.
The LORD redeemed his people Israel from the slavery of Egypt and led them into the promised land of Canaan (vv. 8-12). Canaan was Israel’s inheritance (v. 12), received from God by grace through faith. Here too we confess our Saviour Jesus Christ, whose pre-incarnate appearance was as “the angel of the LORD” (Ex 3:2) who delivered Israel from Egypt and “the commander of the army of the LORD” (Josh. 5:14) who led the conquest of Jericho.
This redemption climaxed when Christ died on the cross and arose from the grave. Christ broke the 
stranglehold of sin and death on our lives and unlocked the door into eternal fellowship with God on the new earth. God’s compassion is that Christ took the penalty of God’s judgement for us in order that we may be vindicated in God’s judgement (v. 14). This is the good news of salvation!
None of the other gods has this kind of reputation (vv. 15-18). They are nothing, the LORD is everything. No other religion preaches salvation by grace through faith, without any merit of our own. Modern gods such as technology, medicine, money, sex, and power offer nothing lasting except lasting emptiness. Putting our trust in them results in spiritual death.
Through the working of the Holy Spirit, we confess the God of creation and redemption. Such a God is worthy of worship! For this reason, Psalm 135 begins and ends with the call, “Praise the LORD!” Have you answered the call to praise and worship the LORD? Pray that you may always be part of the company of believers that worships God.
Photo by Grempz 