Friendship

Praise God for his intimate friendship

Psalm 148:7-14

Do you know that you can be an ‘intimate friend’ of God? This is what it means to be part of ‘his very own people’ who ‘love God’ (v.14, MSG). This is what God’s covenant of love is all about.

As a result of God’s love for him, the psalmist’s heart is bursting with praise. He calls the whole created world to praise God, as well as the whole of humankind (v.7–12): ‘Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted’ (v.13).

The psalm reaches its climax: ‘He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart’ – ‘intimate friends of God’ (v.14, MSG).

A ‘horn’ symbolises the strength of the Lord, and found fulfilment in Jesus: ‘He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David’ (Luke 1:69). He did this out of his great love for us; he made a covenant of love because he wants a people close to his heart. No wonder the psalmist finishes with a shout of ‘Praise the Lord!’ (Psalm 148:14).