top of page
Search

12/27/2020 Praise the LORD! (讚美主!)

by Rev. Benjamin Chung (鍾立恆牧師)


As we look towards 2021, I am sure we are all happy to stop writing 2020 and rid ourselves of any unpleasant memories. It has surely been a trying time for us all for most of the year. From protests and riots, to COVID-19 and the freedom to wear masks, to a troubling election… these trials make any delayed Christmas gifts appear trivial. Conversely, I am certain there are those who have still had an active and productive year, as new skills have been honed and family relationship have been tightened. What we need to be aware of is, all of this is trivial before God. We must look to God in all circumstances, for that is what the Scriptures proclaim.


Psalm 146 is a wonderful testimony to this important truth. The first three verses state: “Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! 2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psalm 146:1-3 ESV). No matter what happens, we praise the Lord. For he is the one who ultimately provides salvation, not any person who rules or governs on earth.


In verses 7-9, we see this theme described again. “Who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin” (vv.7-9). The Lord is the one who protects and rules. He is the one who provides our sustenance, our freedom, and even our sight. He is the one who metes out justice, while lifting up the downtrodden. The Lord is watching over the foreigner, the widow and orphan. He does not forget. He will provide for the righteous. Therefore, we must live righteously, as the wicked will be brought to ruin. This means that we are not to live selfishly, but to act in ways that assist in the Lord’s work. We are to be “bowed down”, which is another way to say that we should be living humbly.


For, in the end, our lives really mean little. We are but a single generation. And as v.10 states, “The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!” The wisdom from this Psalm is the reminder that we are not to live for ourselves. That is not what God purposed us for. It is to worship and praise the LORD! Remember this Thursday night as you bring in the New Year.


Translation:


當展望2021 年的時侯,相信我們所有人都會很樂意不用再書寫2020 這個年份,從此亦可擺脫任何與這一年有關的不快回憶。 這一年之中大部分的時間肯定是我們眾人所曾渡過最艱難的日子。 從抗議到騷亂,從COVID-19 到戴口罩的自由,再經過一個麻煩的選舉……這些試練比任何一份姍姍來遲的聖誕禮物都顯得非常之微不足道。 反過來說,我肯定有些人今年過了個既活躍且收穫滿滿的的一年,皆因他們都被鍛練過,得了新技能,家庭關係亦得以牢固。 我們需要意識到,這些所有的在上帝面前其實都是微不足道的。 我們必須在任何情況下都要仰望上帝,因為這是聖經所說明的。


詩篇146 章對於這個重要的真理有著很美好的見証:「你們要讚美耶和華!我的心哪,你要讚美耶和華!我一生要讚美耶和華!我還活的時候要歌頌我的神!你們不要倚靠君王,不要倚靠世人;他一點不能幫助。亅(詩篇146:1-3)無論何境況我們都要讚美主。因只有祂是唯一能给予我們救贖的一位,所有地上執政掌權的都不能夠做到。


在第七至第九節的時候這個主題又再次重複:「他為受屈的伸冤,賜食物與飢餓的。耶和華釋放被囚的;耶和華開了瞎子的眼睛;耶和華扶起被壓下的人。耶和華喜愛義人。耶和華保護寄居的,扶持孤兒和寡婦,卻使惡人的道路彎曲。亅上帝保護人亦統治萬民。 祂供應我們的生計,給我們有自由甚至賜我們有視力。 祂提拔正義的人,同時亦扶助被壓迫的人。上主看守異鄉人,還有寡婦和孤兒。 祂不會遺忘人。 他供應給義人。 故此,我們必須在生活裡行公義,要知道惡人將會被毀滅。 這意味著我們不能自私地過活,並要常常抱著為要輔助主,為祂作工的心而行事。我們要「聽命遵從亅,換句話說,我們要謙卑地生活。


要知道我們的生命在最終其實都是意義不大。我們只不過是一代的人。就如第十節所講:「耶和華要作王,直到永遠!錫安哪,你的神要作王,直到萬代!你們要讚美耶和華!亅這詩篇的智慧就是要提醒我們不要為己而活,這並非神所為我們而定的人生目的。我們乃是要敬拜和讚美上主!當星期四晚新年到臨的時候,請記住這教導。



2 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

我們在逆境中處事態度和反應,正是測試我們對神的認識、信心和忠心。在順境中,享受美好的生活,一切順利,身體健康,感謝神是容易的,服事神是容易的,信靠神是容易的。相反地,苦難在眼前,我們的信心會動搖,憂慮境況會惡化,感到筋疲力盡。我們會怎樣回應這境況?我們的回應正是反映我們對神的認識、敬畏和忠心。 從但以利書三章一至十八節,尼布甲尼撒王命令民眾俯伏敬拜金像,沙得拉、米煞和亞伯尼歌對尼佈甲尼撒王的回應,

假若有人控訴我們奪取了神之物時,很多人也會反問:「我們在何事上奪取了神之物?」因為這確實是一個很嚴重的指控!就如瑪拉基書中的以色列人也同樣發出了這個問題。耶和華便說:「就是在你們在當納的十分之一和當獻的供物上。」 今天的信徒可能會反駁,我們當然有十分之一的奉獻,怎麼會是奪取呢?而我亦相信很多信徒有不止十分之一的奉獻。但是神的家是不是單指我們在金錢上的奉獻呢?現今除了金錢上的十分之一外,神更要求我們

從哥林多前書 13章1-13 節中,我們才得知什麼是愛,什麼並不算是愛。如果這聽起來好像很耳熟能詳,皆因這段文字經常在基督教婚禮裡被人引用。非基督徒聽到第一至第三節這些跟行為和異能有關的描述時可能會覺得很怪。然而沒有了愛,這一切都是無用和毫無價值的。這並非是個什麼新鮮概念,在路加福音 10章17-20 節中記載,當七十二個門徒回到耶穌身邊,門徒們對耶穌之名的力量與及對他們能以施行神蹟之事而感到驚愕

bottom of page