Lo! The sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!
From the rising of the sun to its going down the Lord’s name is to be praised. (Ps. 113:3)
The Name of the Lord is to be praised throughout the day. Praised because He is great; praised because He cares for the poor and needy; praised because He descended to earth that man may ascend to heaven. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This Psalm begins and ends with Alleluia, He is risen! Praise the Lord. It is the first of the six Hallel—praise—Psalms sung at the Passover (Ps. 113-118). It is quite probable that these psalms were sung by Jesus and His disciples on the night He was betrayed. Jesus knew the pain, the injustice, the suffering that lay ahead of Him. Jesus praised God. The cities shut Him out, the politicians scoffed at Him, and the public shunned Him. He continued to teach, to correct, to love the broken, the lost, the sinner. Though man curses Him, though man rejects His love, though man misunderstands his Maker, God continues to pursue man.
As believers, we are apprenticing for heaven every day we sojourn this earth. Praise will be our glorious work in heaven. Today we lift our voices in praise to Him with our brothers and sisters; one day we will praise Him with the angels in heaven. Let us learn from those who have gone before us who knew peace because they knew God. Let us fill our hearts, our minds, our voices with hymns—the poetry, the music, the stories that have united generations for centuries. With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs let us sing and make melody in our heart to the Lord (Eph. 5:19). Let our praise be heartfelt that those who hear us today and those who come after us tomorrow will continue to praise God. Let Him be praised through all generations. Blessed be His name now and always, in all places, throughout the world. He is high above all nations, high above the heavens for God is great, despising none (Job 36:5). His goodness is all around us, He humbles Himself to walk with us. Though He is infinitely above us, His love dwells within us.
When Jesus walked this earth, He sought those who had a right understanding of themselves: sin the problem, Jesus the answer. Is this your understanding? He has not changed; He still seeks the one who recognizes this truth. Jesus, the perfect sacrifice, victorious over sin. Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life. Today, as you apprentice for the heavenly choir, won’t you lift up your voice in praise to Him and sing, “Lo! The sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia!”