Psalm 115:9-18 “Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. House of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield. The LORD remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great. May the LORD increase you more and more, you and your children. Blessed are you by the LORD, who made heaven and earth. The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men. The dead don’t praise the LORD, nor any who go down into silence, but we will bless the LORD, from this time forward and forever more. Praise the LORD!”

Isn’t there an afterlife? Don’t we praise God later? Of course, but the dead can’t praise God anymore in this life. The call is for God to help now so that His people can praise Him among the nations. And just as Israel is called by God to be His chosen people, and can look to Him for help and protection, so it is true for us as well. And we are supposed to exalt Him because of it!

Hebrews 13:5-6 “he has said, ‘I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.’ So that with good courage we say, ‘The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ “

1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

For additional worship: Shout to the Lord (Don Moen)