Psalms for Shepherds Epilogue

Psalms for Shepherds Epilogue

Holly Culhane, Founder & President/CEO of Presence Point, concludes the Psalms for Shepherds series by reflecting on how researching, writing, and recording this series has impacted her life and her ability to shepherd more effectively.

Psalm 150 | Psalms for Shepherds

This psalm takes us the end of the five Hallelujah Psalms and the Book of Psalms, as well. It builds upon previous Hallelujah songs and emphasizes where we are to praise God, why we are to praise God, and how we are to praise God. As you read this psalm, it will be clear that a symphony of praise is what the Father is commanding us to offer. We pray it touches your soul and leads you to shepherd well as you praise our remarkable Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd.

Psalm 149 | Psalms for Shepherds

Psalm 149 makes it clear the followers of God are to praise, sing, rejoice, exult, and dance in worship to the Lord.   That praise, however, should never be rote, rehearsed, or routine. No matter where we worship, this psalm reminds us to wholeheartedly celebrate, worship, and praise the One from whom all blessings flow. After all, we are worshipping our Creator, the One who delights in us and crowns those who are humble, the literal and exalted the King of Kings!   “This is the glorious privilege of the faithful ones”, the psalmist tells us.   May we in fact, as His under-shepherds, remember our responsibility to praise the God of the universe, and may the challenge in this song remind us of the reason for such joy and praise.

Psalm 148 | Psalms for Shepherds

If there was ever a doubt whether or not we have been commanded to praise the name of the Lord our God, this song makes it clear that everyone, and every living and created thing should indeed praise His Name, doing so with the enthusiasm, joy, and confidence that only comes from intimate knowledge of our God.    Of this psalm, C. H. Spurgeon notes, “It is a song of nature and of grace. As a flash of lightning flames through space and enwraps both heaven and earth in one vestment of glory, so does the adoration of the Lord in this Psalm light up all the universe and cause it to glow with a radiance of praise. The song begins in the heavens, sweeps downward to dragons and all deeps, and then ascends again, till the people near unto Jehovah take up the strain.”    We pray you will set aside time today to ponder Psalm 148 and the related challenge to shepherd well, evaluating how often you truly acknowledge Who God is, what He has done in your life, and the gifts He has given you that has put you in a position of influence.

Psalm 147 | Psalms for Shepherds

There are such varied opinions regarding who wrote this psalm. Some believe it was penned after the return of the Jews from their captivity, while others think it was written by David referring to the building and fortifying of Jerusalem in his time and the gathering in of those who had been out-casts during Saul’s reign. And still others believe it was written for the great assembly called by Nehemiah to celebrate and dedicate the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem 500 years later.   One thing is certain, no matter which human figure recorded this psalm, the Holy Spirit’s divine inspiration clearly brings us all a call to worship, along with a reminder of Who the God is that we worship.   May we all respond in both song and praise, leading us to live an example of an awe-filled under-shepherd for those entrusted to our care.