Psalm 8:1–3
To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.
1O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength Because of thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What does perfected praise look like?
Picture perfect praise in your mind’s eye for a moment?
What do you see?
A crowded sanctuary and a well-trained worship leader?
A skilled musician?
A room full of folks their arms lifted high toward Heaven?
Possibly you imagined sitting solitary and inspired by God’s creation?
Well, Jesus told us about perfected praise when he taught on today’s psalm and what he said might surprise some.
One day Jesus went into the temple and threw out all the money changers.
(The Temple had an elaborate money-making scheme where only temple money could be used, and the exchange rates were very unfair.)
His actions of course brought disapproval from the chief priests and scribes who benefited from this scam. They watched Jesus and gave glaring eyes to anyone who dared support his activity.
Next Jesus began to heal hurting people who approached him; blind eyes were made to see, lame legs were made to walk, and the critics…
Well, they were just made mad.
I have no doubt that many an adult wanted praise the Lord but kept their mouth shut for fear of their critical religious leaders.
The children however, they couldn’t contain themselves, they began to cry out “Hosanna” which means “save now” and calling Jesus “the son of David” acknowledging him as the Messiah the Scriptures had foretold.
Have you noticed how kids have a hard time concealing enthusiasm?
The religious leaders urged Jesus to hush those kids but he refused and in response he quoted Ps 8:2.
Here is the Psalm.
Psalm 8:2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength Because of thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
Here is what he said.
Matthew 21:16 “…Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?”
Did you catch how he slightly changed the wording?
Jesus substituted, “perfected praise”, where David had said “ordained strength”.
There is no contradiction, the one who inspired the Scriptures certainly has authority to provide commentary and explain himself.
There is most certainly strength in perfected praise to God.
What is perfected praise?
Jesus said it was seen in the sincere worship of those children.
Do you want to see perfected praise?
Watch a child sing to Jesus when they don’t know you are watching.
Buddy, that will bless your soul!
Jesus held children up as an example of greatness when he said these words.
Matthew 18:4 “Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
The secret of the little one’s strength is their ability to trust.
Childlike faith pleases our God.
Childlike faith is required by God.
Mark 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.
I have learned some of my greatest spiritual lessons from children despite their lack of size or education.
Could it be that modern churches lack spiritual strength because they lack sincere, childlike, enthusiastic, contagious praise?
Out of the mouth of little lads and ladies our Lord has pictured perfected praise and ordained an incredible source of strength.
How about we adults participate and partake, what do you say?
2021 Bible Reading Plan
Bible readings for January 12, 2021
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