Joyful Praises To God

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!

Sing about the glory of his name!

Tell the world how glorious he is.

Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!

Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

Everything on earth will worship you;

they will sing your praises,

shouting your name in glorious songs.”

Psalm 66:1-4

God answers prayer! And when he does, we should shout out his praises and give him thanks. Psalm 66 was written after a great victory in battle. Perhaps, like many of Israel’s victories, it had been won against all odds. Clearly, in these circumstances, God’s people saw his miraculous intervention on their behalf. They wanted to tell one another, tell the world, and tell God himself how great he was. What joy to be aligned with God, who makes his enemies cringe!

Often, our prayers are heartfelt and fervent when we are petitioning God about some pressing need. But may our gratitude overflow with equal zeal when we see answers to those prayers.

• O God, we praise you for all you have done . . .