‘Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD.’ (v15) Psalm 89:14–18
The word ‘acclaim’ actually means ‘to cry out to’. We are people who have hopefully become familiar with crying out to God. In joy or despondency, we are invited to direct our first words towards God, for God is both the source and the solution in our delight and in our desolation.
God accompanies us every step, every day. We are continually in God’s presence and, as such, can continuously listen to and talk with Him, the very essence of our prayer. Whilst we may set aside specific times for prayer, talking with God throughout our day is a good habit to establish.
I have a prayer, taken from the Orthodox tradition, that provides me with ten short phrases that I have spread across my day. I am now familiar with them and so they are landmarks within the uncertain terrain of daily life. Familiarity provokes my heart to rise towards God as my lips acclaim God, my ever-present help in trouble (Psa. 46:1).
There are also great acclamations in the Psalms; such as, ‘Oh Lord open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise’ (Psa. 51:15, ESV). These offer excellent walking declarations; I breathe in on the first part of the verse, breath out on the second.
Every step is a declaration of my confidence in God and builds faith. In this way, we learn continuously to walk in the light of God’s presence (Psa. 89:15b). Certainly, one way we can improve our everyday walk with Jesus.
RELATED SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER: 1 Sam. 1:1–18; Psa. 45:1–2; John 17; Acts 7:48–60.
AN ACTION TO TAKE: Familiarise yourself with verses from the Psalms and recite them as you journey through your day; for example, ‘My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth’ (Psa. 121:2).
A PRAYER TO MAKE: ‘Lord, help me in all things to rely upon Your holy will. Amen.’
Photo by Sebastian Pena Lambarri on Unsplash
