1. Psalm 148

2. An expansive crowd invited together to praise God (see next slide)

3. The heavens (verses 1-6) The earth (verses 7-9) The animals (verses 10) Rulers, all nations, young people, and old people (verses11-12) PRAISE THE LORD (verses 13-14)

4. The nature of praise (See quote from Walter Brueggemann on next slide)

5. "All of life is aimed toward God and finally exists for the sake of God. Praise articulates and embodies our capacity to yield, submit, and abandon ourselves in trust and gratitude to the One whose we are... We have a resilient hunger to move beyond self. God is addressed not because we have need, but simply because God is God."

6. Enjoying and celebrating God’s Love (see next slide how)