Faith Daily Lectio Friday, October 23, 2026 Morning Psalm
Friday, October 23, 2026 · St. James of Jerusalem, Brother of Jesus and Martyr (Friday in the week of the Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost, Proper 24)
Morning Psalm
Oratio (prayer)
Lord, all creation praises You. Send Your Holy Spirit as I pray Psalm 148 this morning, that I may join the angels, the stars and all Your people in praising Your name in Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Meditatio (meditation)
Psalm 148
1Praise ye the LORD. Praise ye the LORD from the heavens: praise him in the heights.
2Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
3Praise ye him, sun and moon: praise him, all ye stars of light.
4Praise him, ye heavens of heavens, and ye waters that be above the heavens.
5Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created.
6He hath also stablished them for ever and ever: he hath made a decree which shall not pass.
7Praise the LORD from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the LORD.
Consider even rereading in another translation.
You could also consider listening to this chapter, narrated:
KJV (Max McLean) · ESV (Max McLean) · NIV (dramatized)
You might read the whole reading slowly, aloud, more than once.
Consider this verse, for example:
“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for he commanded, and they were created” (Psalm 148:5)
What other lines speak to you?
The Law The Psalm calls everything to praise: angels, sun and moon, "Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word" (v. 8). Even the weather obeys Him. We are the ones who fall silent, or who praise ourselves instead. "Kings of the earth, and all people" (v. 11) are summoned, and none of us is excused.
The Gospel "He also exalteth the horn of his people" (v. 14). In Scripture a horn is a sign of strength, and God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in Jesus. You are among "the children of Israel, a people near unto him" (v. 14), brought near by His blood and counted among His saints. For "his name alone is excellent" (v. 13), and that name was put on you in Baptism.
Prayer Lord, I confess that my praise is often small and my silence often long. Forgive me for Jesus' sake. Open my lips this morning to praise Your name with all Your creatures. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Tentatio (trial)
Praise can feel out of reach on a hard morning. Yet the Psalm says even the "stormy wind" (v. 8) does what God commands. Under trial it may help to remember that the storm itself is under His rule, and to let creation lead you into praise when your own words run dry.
Prayer Lord, when the storms of this day come, remind me that they too obey You. Give me a heart to praise You anyway. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture quotations are from the King James Version.
My church home: Peace Lutheran Church, McMurray, PA. Looking for a church? See About Daily Lectio.
