Enthroned on the Praises of Israel

On By RosinaIn Inner Life

“Where is God enthroned?” Will asked me as he loaded dishes into the dishwasher.

My dishrag paused on the counter, still sticky with the remnants of a cherry pie I’d baked for a neighbor. I knew exactly what Will was referring to.

 Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.

(Psalm 22:3 ESV)

A few hours before, I had dumped my yuckies on Will. I’m sick of homeschooling, I said. I hate to clean, but I hate a dirty house even worse and it’s always a mess. I like to cook, but I can’t ever think what to make for supper, with children standing on my feet (yes, my feet) and wanting things. Will listened patiently while I had a good whine, and it didn’t make me feel much better. Beneath my trivial woes surged a soul-deep fatigue.

But God is enthroned on the praise of His people.

While I kept cleaning up the kitchen, I thought, Worshipping God feels different from merely being thankful for things. I believe in the power of thankfulness, but when life is hard, saying what I’m thankful for can feel insincere, duplicitous. Praising God for who He is feels more solid, more true.

Maybe it’s because while I name things I’m thankful for, I sometimes have an unstated caveat trailing on behind. I’m thankful for my house, I say, and my mind follows up with but I wish it would be bigger. I can’t do that with praising God, because He couldn’t possibly be any better than He is!

I will tell of your name to my brothers;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:
You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,
and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!
For he has not despised or abhorred
the affliction of the afflicted,
and he has not hidden his face from him,
but has heard, when he cried to him.

(Psalm 22:22-24 ESV)

I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD,
the praises of the LORD,
according to all that the LORD has granted us,
and the great goodness to the house of Israel
that he has granted them according to his compassion,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

(Isaiah 63:7 ESV)

Will you join me in enthroning our awesome God today?

4 thoughts on “Enthroned on the Praises of Israel”

  3. “I believe in the power of thankfulness, but when life is hard, saying what I’m thankful for can feel insincere, duplicitous. Praising God for who He is feels more solid, more true.” I agree with this! And I think that when we praise, thankfulness follows. The smallness of the house becomes less of an issue when we are lost in praising God as our Provider.

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    1. You know, I’m feeling that need to be “lost in praise” again today, lest I get mired down in circumstances that are less than ideal. My posts are certainly not about areas in which I have achieved perfect success! Rather, many times they reflect struggles I am working through.

      I’m always happy to hear from you! 🙂

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