All Praise to God!

“Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me under the shadow of Your wings.”—Psalm 17:8

Thomas Ken lived in complicated times. He was born in 1637, a time of conflict between Protestants and Catholics. He was a pastor, college chaplain, and bishop. He got into trouble because he refused to compromise. A man of conscience, he was willing to resist political pressure for the sake of his convictions.

Believing in the power of praise-filled hymns, he encouraged believers to begin and end each day singing God’s praises. One of his most-loved hymns was the evening prayer, “All Praise to Thee.” This prayer of remembering praised God “for all the blessings of the light.” It was a prayer that God would keep him “beneath Thine own almighty wings.”

It was a prayer that God would forgive his mistakes. Going forward, he wanted to be sure God was pleased with his choices, so he would be ready to face Him. He looked forward to spending eternity with Him, joining the angels as they sang His praises. He prayed that while on earth, God would give him peace and protect him from the powers of darkness.

Like many of his hymns, he closed by quoting the doxology, “Praise God, From Whom All Blessings Flow.” It was a call for all of us to praise “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.”

Ken’s life leaves us with these examples: Always trust God. Always do what is right. Fill your life with praise. Be sure God gets all the glory.

Reflection Question: How can you praise God each night for His daily blessings?