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Greatly is Yahweh to be Praised!
“A Song. A Psalm of the Sons of Qorah.
Great is Yahweh and very much to be praised —
In the city of our God and on his Holy Mountain.”
(Psalm 48:1-2 [verse 1 in English])
The greatness of the city of God is not found in the construction of human hands; it is not a work of men. We may admire the works of a man’s hands or the designs of his mind, but if such works drive us to worship, we are idolaters indeed. God has erected his city, kept safe from defilement, imperishable and unfading (1 Peter 1:4) until that time and day when our Lord returns again, condemns the wicked to eternal judgment, and reestablishes the heavens and the earth…then the New Jerusalem of God’s making will descend upon the redeemed earth of God’s remaking (2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 21:9-11). Then the Bride — the Church redeemed through the ages — will indeed sing praise to God in the city of our God on his Holy Mountain.
In the meantime, we are given a foretaste. The Sons of Asaph writing praises to God for his redemption even of their own family and indeed, in light of their own service in the Tabernacle and in the Temple. Jerusalem in the days of Solomon was meant as a picture…a foretaste…even a “type” of what this new creation and the New Jerusalem would be like. Yet, like all shadows, they dissolve under the light of day — in this case, under God’s judgment on the people for sin and idolatry.
The sad thing is that many, in their quest to experience the source of the type, fall in love with the type itself, settling for the picture and placing their hope in that which can and will never reveal the glory of God. Indeed, though the city was a special place even to this psalmist, it was not special in and of itself; it was special to him for that is where God dwelt. It is God’s presence that made Jerusalem glorious and that made Mount Zion holy. And when God removed his presence, the glory of the city faded fast.
Where now then does God dwell? Certainly he no longer dwells in temples made of stone or in churches made of brick and mortar — he is the creator of the universe, what house shall we construct to contain him (Isaiah 66:1). No, we are told that the Holy Spirit dwells in believers…indeed, making us even temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). No longer do we need a physical temple to mark the worship of God and no more do we need to make sacrifices — Jesus has done so once and for all time (Hebrews 10:10). Our sacrifices of praise are not constrained to the locality of a building and our lives lived out as living sacrifices, people consecrated to God’s service, take place in all of the world. Our lives are lives to be lived out in worship because God dwells within us as believers in Jesus Christ.
And, thus, when we gather to celebrate as a holy convocation on Sundays, we exalt like the psalmist here not because of the beauty or location of our building, but we exalt because God is with us and in our midst…little mobile Tabernacles and Temples gathering to give praise to God’s holy name and to remember the mighty works of our God. Indeed, Great is Yahweh and greatly is his name to be praised…but no longer just in the holy temple, but whenever God’s people gather in his name and especially when we mark that great and glorious day when our Lord and Savior raised from the dead as a promise and as a downpayment, that we too will also one day emerge victorious from the grave to the praise of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Studying God’s Honor
“The last thing, brothers, is that whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is upright, whatever is holy, whatever is lovely, whatever is praiseworthy, if there is virtue and if there is praise, think on these things.”
(Philippians 4:8)
Though in English the words praise and praiseworthy come from the same root, Paul employs two different words here in the Greek to emphasize his point. We already spoke above about that which is worthy of praise, as he closes this verse, he is speaking of that which generates admiration or approval within us. When applied to humans, this word is sometimes translated as “fame,” but perhaps honor is a better term. Towards God, it reflects the notion of giving praise and honor to His name (see Philippians 1:11).
All of that which Paul speaks about culminates in this…honoring God. It is this notion that drives our sanctification and our life as believers. Yet how often we choose to set our minds and thoughts on other things during the day, during the weeks, and during the years. How often we set our affections on the things of this world rather than on the one who is most worthy of our honor.
It has long been my position that while most relationships begin in the shared experiences that people have with one another; lasting and mature relationships make a transition. Instead of falling in love with the person through the things that are done together we fall in love with the person because of who they are — their attributes and personalities and things like this. Genuine love and relationship with God is nurtured in the same way. We may begin our relationship with God through a deliverance from sin, through a grace that was given, or through a recognition of our own wicked and fallen state. Yet don’t stop the relationship there, because the relationship you have with God will mature as you grow deeper in your understanding of God’s character as revealed in his Word.
Thus, spend time focusing on a character trait of God. He is love, he is Truth, he is a God of justice and grace. God is creative and powerful and while loving toward his own, he pours out his wrath upon the wicked. Think on these things. Study how God reveals these character traits of his in the Scriptures. Pursue him through his character. And note too, Paul’s language…think on these things. God has given us minds to understand; he expects us to use our minds to understand his character as he reveals it. Such an understanding will draw us closer to him but such an understanding will also draw us away from the things of the world that distract and pull us away from godliness.
An Offering of Praise
“You have raised up my horn like a tower;
I poured out as with fragrant oil.”
(Psalm 92:11 [verse 10 in English])
This verse is a little awkward to translate and as such, there are various renderings in our various English Bibles. To understand this verse, though, you need to break it down a bit and understand some of the key terms. The first word is that of the horn, or in Hebrew, N®rRq (qeren). This can refer to a simple ram’s horn or a vessel in which oil is contained, but when used metaphorically, it typically refers to strength or that which holds the oil that spiritually strengthens the believer.
Connecting the horn to the oil is fairly obvious given the second line of the verse, but we still have the word MEa√r (re’em), which I am rendering as “tower” though many of our translate as “wild ox.” The term itself is highly debated amongst scholarship, but many see the language of the horn in the verse as the guiding interpretive feature. And, on a level, such a rendering makes sense if we see the horn as a sign of power and the strong wild ram or ox on the mountain as a symbol of strength. Yet, such a translation does not seem to take into account the language of the oil later in the verse.
The term can also be rendered as the word “Tower,” a high place that also serves as a refuge for the believer to worship. Given the language of the raising up earlier in this verse, such a translation seems to make more sense, seeing also a tower as a sign of strength against one’s foes.
The next term in dispute is that of the pouring out. Many of our English translations render this phrase as “You have poured…” or “I have had oil poured…”. The problem with both of these renderings is that the verb in question, llb; (balal — to pour out) is in the first person singular in the Qal stem. That means that “I” must be the subject and the verb is active, not passive…thus dismissing both major translational option. Rightly translated, it is “I poured…”. Some would argue that in poetry one is given some degree of grammatical freedom, but granting free reign here just adds complexity to the meaning rather than presenting the simple meaning of what the text says.
So, what is this fragrant oil that is being poured out? Most of the translations (by rendering the verb as a passive or as a second person) presume that the psalmist is being anointed with the oil in question, yet that is not what the text states. Instead, the psalmist is pouring out his oil that has been lifted up to this tower — on this high place. Rightly understood, it seems better to understand this pouring out to be a kind of drink offering that is being made by the psalmist in honor of his God who has lifted him up and has protected him from his enemies. Again, remember the context of this psalm is worship, if we get too far from God being the subject of our affection and focus more on God’s affection toward us, we lose that spirit or tone of worship before our creator and sustainer.
Thus, may we too be quick to raise up an offering of praise to our God, both in public and in private worship. May he be glorified and honored in all that we do. Our strength comes from him, let us return that strength to him in offerings of praise.
Yahweh is Lifted Up!
“But you are elevated eternally, Yahweh.”
(Psalm 92:9 [verse 8 in English])
God is lifted up! He reigns on high! There is no god like our God, he is the great Yahweh, who sets his throne in the heavens and makes the earth his footstool. Can we not praise him highly enough? Will we ever exhaust the praises that our God deserves even in the light of eternity? Never! Our God reigns and he does so from on high.
What is amazing, wonderful, and remarkable about our God is that he condescends to us in relationship. Yet, in light of this relationship, let us never lose sight of the total “other-ness” of our God. It is my concern that, in the emphasis on a personal and intimate relationship with God that we downplay his elevation…in other words, we treat him as casually as we might treat a friend or neighbor and thus forget who he is and the reverence that he rightfully deserves. Indeed, is it not the “Fear” of the Lord that brings knowledge and wisdom? Where there is no fear, will not foolishness multiply? Is that not the plight of the church in our age today?
In many circles, God is merely treated as one of many gods rather than the God above all others and in a class entirely of his own. To borrow from the Medieval theologian, Anselm, he is “The being greater than whom no other being can exist.” There is none like him and it ought to give us goosebumps to draw near to him while at the same time we do boldly draw near to the Holy One of Israel in our midst. What a glorious gift, but in our worship, let us be drawn up to him and not seek to draw him down to us.
So, friends, as you pray this day and in the day to come, may you be altogether aware that it is the God who is lifted up who has given you permission to come into his presence. Celebrate that, but do so with a holy fear as well, for in that fear you will find knowledge and wisdom.
God’s Faithfulness
“To declare your chesed in the morning;
And of your trustworthiness in the night;
Upon the ten strings and upon the harp;
With the sound of the zither.”
(Psalm 92:3-4 [verses 2-3 in English])
Again we find an emphasis on singing praise accompanied by the sound of instruments. The reference to the “ten strings” in Hebrew is unique to the book of psalms (33:2, 92:4, 144:9) and is likely a reference not simply to a small personal shoulder harp (which might have had 5 or 7 strings), but to a larger harp requiring more skill to play. Granted, depending on the dating of this psalm, much larger harps would have been familiar items; the ancient Egyptians had 22 strings on their full-sized arched-harp. Arguably this is one more reminder that this psalm has its focus the gathered worship of God’s people where skilled musicians (levitical or otherwise) would have been present, not simply to private worship.
The additional reference to the zither seems to reinforce both the corporate setting (as multiple instruments are being mentioned) and to skillful musicians required to play it. Often this word is translated as lyre, which shouldn’t surprise us as the lyre has its origins in the zither. Again, the emphasis of music in Sabbath worship.
Yet, what is more important is not the instruments used but for what God is being praised. Here, it is his “chesed” and his trustworthiness. The word chesed I have simply left untranslated as there is not a simple word-for-word equivalent of this idea. Ultimately it refers to God’s covenant faithfulness to his people (that’s us!) despite the covenant unfaithfulness of his people (sadly, that’s us too…). This we do not deserve, but this God graciously gives to his own to his own glory and praise. As the Apostle Paul wrote, salvation is by grace, not works, lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Indeed, it is worth praising our God for his faithfulness and for his chesed.
And it is for this faithfulness (amongst other things) that we praise God when we gather together on the Sabbath. The sad thing is that all-too-often, the lyrics of our praises are focused heavily on the individual, not on the God who saves the individual. Loved ones, remember, it is not our goodness or our works that brings about God’s faithfulness…God is faithful despite our lack of goodness and our failures…that is the essence of Grace. As the old Fanny Crosby hymn went… “To God be the glory, great things he has done!”
And you shall remember—for you were a slave in the land of Egypt and Yahweh, your God, redeemed you. Because of this, I command this thing of you today.
(Deuteronomy 15:15)
Christian Hospitality
“He said, ‘Come in, blessed of Yahweh. To what end do you stand outside? I have tidied up the house and a place for the camels.’ And the man went into the house and unharnessed the camels. He gave straw and fodder to the camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him.”
(Genesis 24:31-32)
In light of the verses that precede these verses, one needs to ask the motivation behind this family’s generosity. Certainly brother Laban’s character we know and it seems that Laban has taken the role of speaking for the family. His father, being Abraham’s nephew, would likely have been fairly old and perhaps, Laban being the rightful heir, was running the activities of his father’s house at this point. We are not told for sure, but he takes charge of the situation. The needs of Eliezer and his men are met, as well as the needs of their mounts, which means that Laban’s household is certainly not a modest one, and this wealthy visitor is brought in. There seems no question that Laban wants to see what he might get out of this deal. Sadly, that seems to motivate his hospitality.
As Christians, we are commended to show hospitality to others, especially to those believers who are traveling to do the Lord’s work (3 John 5-8). Yet, we too should examine our hearts to discern what our motivation is for being hospitable to those in our midst. Are we hoping for money having done so? Are we hoping that our expenses will be recouped — if we have our expenses recouped as a matter of course, we are offering a lodging service, not generously offering hospitality. Are we seeking the praise of others? Jesus reminds us that if we act well for the purpose of the praise of men, then that is all the praise we will ever receive (Matthew 6:2-4). Surely we cannot hope to earn merit in God’s eyes through hospitality because those things that we have, were given to us by God in the first place and thus are not truly our own. We are simply rightly stewarding God’s possessions when we offer hospitality.
Instead of seeking our own interests, let us set as our motivation for hospitality the glory of God. It is for His praise that we host and it is by His grace that we can gratefully receive the hospitality of others. It is for His glory that we may serve the needs of those whom God places in our midst. When we take our own motivations out of the equation, grace can be offered and received to the praise of our God and King. So long as we place our own desires into the mix, as does Laban, the name of man is only ever lifted up, and that is not hospitality.
God is Truth
“And he said, ‘Blessed be Yahweh the God of my lord Abraham who has not forsaken his covenant faithfulness or his truth from over my lord. As for me, Yahweh has led me to the household of my lord’s brother.’”
(Genesis 24:27)
Recently I was speaking with a Christian man who had become convicted that he spent all of his time praying for the things he wanted and not enough time giving thanks to God for the things that God had given him. What a remarkably convicting statement. How often we are quick to treat God like a celestial Santa Claus wanting sweet treats and as soon as God gives us a good thing, we turn around and ask for more, like a spoiled child who takes for granted that which he does have.
Eliezer comes before the Lord in worship and then in praise for what God has done. He praises God for his dRsRj (chesed) — God’s covenant faithfulness in spite of our covenantal unfaithfulness — and for being tRmTa (emeth) — True. We have often talked about the covenantal faithfulness of God, but the second part of this declaration is also worth mentioning. God is true. He is true to his word and he is true to himself and to his character. And it is on the basis of God’s truthfulness, we find assurance within his covenantal promise. His promises will not change because he is True and therein we can rest our hope.
We live in a world that is yearning for truth. The sad thing is that those in this world tend to seek it in all of the wrong places — avoiding the one place where truth can genuinely be found. Such is our fallen nature. Yet, for we who know the God of truth, we can draw great hope from knowing that He is, has always been, and always will be true to his word and to his promise.
Hope in the Name of God
“I will praise you forever, because of your work;
I will hope in your name, because it is good in the presence of your saints.”
(Psalm 52:11 [verse 9 in English translations])
And here, David, in the midst of the grief and sorrow of loss turns his heart to praise. What a remarkable statement and model for our lives we have in the character in this great king over Israel. How often we find ourselves stuck or absorbed by our grief that we can never find ourselves being pulled out of it; David says that even in the midst of this sorrow, he will give God praise because God has preserved his life and has promised to judge the wicked who have done these horrible things. Loved ones, God will avenge and will make right every wicked act that is done against the lives of his people; may we always follow David’s example and model that in our lives as we praise God in the midst of our crises.
A note should be made here in terms of the word “saints” in translation. Literally, the word that David uses is dyIsDj (chasiyd), which is derived from the word, dRsRj (chesed). The word dRsRj (chesed), as we have discussed above, refers to God’s covenant faithfulness to us despite our lack of faithfulness in return. Similarly, then dyIsDj (chasiyd) refers to those who are the object or recipients of God’s dRsRj (chesed). In the New Testament, the term a¡gioß (hagios — literally, “holy ones”) is rendered as “saints,” yet it seems that the sentiment being communicated is rather similar, for indeed, just as there are none of us who are deserving of God’s faithfulness apart from His divine grace, so too, there are none of us who are holy, but instead we are made holy by God’s divine grace through the completed work of his Son, Jesus Christ.
And it is we, the saints, who have faith in the name of God almighty. Notice that the language referring to “the name” of God is singular. God has many names that are applied to him in scripture, but in a very real sense, these names are just aspects of his one true and Triune name: Yahweh — “I am.” When Jesus gives the disciples what we now know as the “Great Commission,” we find him using the same language once again in the context of baptism: “you shall baptize them in the Name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19b). Notice that it does not say, “in the names” (plural), but “in the name” (singular). God may be three persons, but he is one in name. And hope is one of those funny little things. It does not exist in and of its own right, but hope must rest on something (a promise, a coming reality, the character of another, etc…). For the believer, we hope in the name of God for we know that he will not forsake his character or his promises to those who are his holy ones.
Beloved, it is in that hope that we can draw confidence and know that God is our fortress and our protector. He will allow us to grow up strong within his gates. He will defend us against our foes. And he will be the one who will avenge us of the wickedness that the ungodly do against us because of His name. Trust Him to that end.
His Majesty Covers the Heavens (Habakkuk 3:3)
“God entered from Teman and the Holy One from Mount Paran—Selah!
His majesty covers the heavens and his praise fills the earth.”
(Habakkuk 3:3)
From here on out, there is a shift of focus from God’s coming judgment on Israel to God’s judgment on the Babylonians for coming to destroy Israel. Teman and Paran are both areas that are part of the territory ruled by the Edomites (the descendents of Esau). The language of God “entering from” this area is not so much language meant to suggest that God is not with his people, but instead meant to depict the God of Glory who knows no national boundaries executing judgment on his enemies even as he moves to redeem his people. It is worth noting that while the Edomites were not the invading force that overthrew Judah and their capitol city, Jerusalem, they did assist the Babylonians by helping to round up the Israelites that sought to escape from the region. For this action, God uses the harshest language of judgment. Thus, God judges without, but also brings strict discipline upon his people within the covenant.
Mid verse (not at the end like some of our translations render it) there is a “Selah,” a liturgical term of which no one really knows the meaning. Some have suggested that it is related to the term ll;s’ (salal), which means “to raise up,” suggesting that it is an instruction to singers to raise their voices at this section of music. Others suggest that it is derived from the verb hl;s’ (salah), which means “to discard” or “to throw away,” suggesting this is where voices were to drop off. Simply speaking, we just do not know, though the context of this passage at least would suggest a crescendo, not a decrescendo.
Either way, Habakkuk moves from the focus on geography to the God who transcends Geography and enters into a wonderful description of God on high in this and the following verses. To begin with, Habakkuk speaks of God’s majesty covering the heavens. The word that Habakkuk uses here is dAh (hod), which speaks of the power, the splendor, or the majesty of God. It is similar in use to the word dAbK’ (kavod), which means “weighty” and is used to speak of God’s glory. The bottom line is that God’s majesty, his glory, his honor, his splendor, his wonder, etc…—all of these attributes—are too big and glorious for the world to contain. Like a weighty blanket, God’s glory is spread across the earth.
And, as a result of God’s majesty spread across the earth, the earth resounds with God’s praise. The word employed here is hL’hiT. (tehillah), which typically speaks of songs of praise. This is worth noting initially because the Hebrew language contains numerous words to describe the praise of God’s people as they enter into his presence. The second reason to point this out is because in the Hebrew culture, singing was a very important part of life and worship and I wonder sometimes whether we have lost some of that in our modern culture—the idea of singing God’s praises both inside and outside of the sanctuary—singing God’s praises even as a form of our outward testimony of God’s grace. And when I am speaking, I don’t so much have in mind the professionals, but the average person like you or me—do the events of God’s grace and splendor all around us in life move us to sing his praises as we go through life? They do for Habakkuk as you will see at the end of this chapter.
The final reason that this language of praise needs to be pointed out is that the earth is described as being filled with God’s praises. Indeed, in the heavenly presentation of worship, all of creation sings its praises to God (Revelation 5:13) and if mankind does not sing, nature will take his place (Luke 19:40). Part of the Dominion Mandate (Genesis 1:28-30) is to do just what Habakkuk is talking about—fill the earth with praise. We are to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations (Matthew 28:19-20) and make disciples so that the earth will be filled with the praises of God. The question we must always be asking ourselves is what are we doing to fulfill that mandate? Are we going to the ends of the world ourselves? Are we sharing the gospel with our neighbors so that our communities will be filled with the praises of God? Are we equipping others to fulfill this mandate? Are our churches doing the same? Beloved, this is our call—to fill the earth with the praises of those who love our Great and Majestic King, Jesus Christ.
We’ve a story to tell to the nations,
That shall turn their hearts to the right;
A story of truth and mercy,
A story of peace and light,
A story of peace and light.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noon-day bright;
For Christ’s great kingdom shall come to the earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
-Ernest Nichol
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 6)
“As with fat and the choicest cuts of meat, my soul will be satisfied.
My lips will exult; my mouth will exclaim hallelujah!”
(Psalm 63:6 {Psalm 63:5 in English versions})
Now, in a culture that is as health conscious as ours is, we somewhat lose the impact of the initial metaphor. We usually think of fatty food as something bad and to be avoided because it is just simply not good for you (or at least, in a society that is as sedentary as ours is, it is not good for you). Yet, one thing that must never be forgotten is that typically, when you are dealing with meats, the fattiest cuts are also the tastiest cuts. As a child, before I became aware of this and that health concern and when I was active enough that I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain a pound, one my favorite things about when Dad made steaks on the grill, was eating the fat on the outside of the cut. And that is exactly what David is communicating. Take all of your health issues and set them to the side and think simply of the wonderful taste that comes with fat, and recognize that David is saying that his soul enjoys his God in the same way as his taste buds enjoys the fatty cuts of meat.
We, as humans, respond to food. This is not a cultural thing, but it is tied to our very being—we like to eat and we like to eat well. We have made an art out of fine cooking, and almost everything we do on a social level is done around food. Different cultures may have different styles of food that is popular with their palates, but there is food, none-the-less. And what David is seeking to communicate to us through the ages is that as satisfying as the best meal may be—and when we have an exceptional meal prepared for us, it is not uncommon for us to think of that meal for days if not weeks—and crave it again—so too, David says, his soul enjoys God. The question that needs to be asked, then, is does your soul crave God in the same way your mouth craves a favorite food. Do you look forward all day to your morning or evening prayer time in the same way that you look forward all day to a special meal that is being prepared? Do you savor your time in prayer as you do a good meal or do you see it as just one more thing to do?
Beloved, I think that we are all guilty of falling short of the mark that David sets for us, but he continues his metaphor in the second line of the psalm. Just as your lips and mouth do not remain silent, but instead rejoice, in a good meal, so too, his lips and mouth cannot remain silent at the presence of God in his life. And, indeed, David’s mouth did not remain silent, but from his mouth came the many sweet psalms of the first part of the book of Psalms. Loved ones, does your heart sing, do your lips exult, does your voice refuse to remain silent at the wonders of God? If so, then praise God, but if not, I pray that these words of David will spur you on and help nurture within you a heart of praise.
I will sing of my Redeemer, and his wondrous love to me:
On the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer! With his blood he purchased me;
On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debit and made me free.
-Philip Bliss
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 8)
“For you are my help
and in the shadow of your wings I will exult!”
(Psalm 63:8 {Psalm 63:7 in English Bibles})
The language of God being as a mother eagle to his people, Israel, is a common Old Testament image (Exodus 19:4; Deuteronomy 32:11; Ruth 2:12; Psalm 17:8; etc…). And oh, what a wonderful image it is—that of God providing his strong protection over his people, sheltering them from the storms by his great and mighty wings. And it is from under the protection of God’s wings that we may not only rest in confident assurance of that protection, but we may sing to God undistracted by the cares of this world. What assurance there is when you know that you are safe and protected! What peace comes to a child’s heart when, after they have been threatened, they rest once again, safely in their parent’s arms!
Sadly, we live in a culture where many do not understand this concept. Many children grow up in families where both spouses work and are out of the homes and have to learn to protect themselves from life’s difficulties. Many children grow up without their fathers and don’t know the peace that comes from the assurance of the safety of being in their father’s arms. Many adults put their own interests and goals ahead of the good of their families, again creating an environment where children are forced to find protection elsewhere. Abuse, too, runs rampant in our culture, making the home anything but a safe place to be. As a result, these young men and women have grown up relying on themselves, not trusting too many people, and not knowing the assurance of resting in the arms of one who loves them and is able to keep them safe from the cares of the world.
Oh, the damage we have done to our families by pursuing our own agendas instead of the agenda of God—instead of pursuing his glory and righteousness. Oh, beloved, what a message of hope we have to offer, though, in the Gospel! In Christ, there is hope and peace and rest for the weary soul. In Christ there is safety; under God’s strong wings we may find rest and help. And under God’s strong wings we may finally sing for joy—exult—in the glory of Him who is greater than all the threats of this world put together. In Christ and in Him alone we may find our help.
Our God, Our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come.
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
Under the shadow of your throne
Your saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is your arm alone,
And our defense is sure.
-Isaac Watts
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 6)
“As with fat and the choicest cuts of meat, my soul will be satisfied.
My lips will exult; my mouth will exclaim hallelujah!”
(Psalm 63:6 {Psalm 63:5 in English versions})
Now, in a culture that is as health conscious as ours is, we somewhat lose the impact of the initial metaphor. We usually think of fatty food as something bad and to be avoided because it is just simply not good for you (or at least, in a society that is as sedentary as ours is, it is not good for you). Yet, one thing that must never be forgotten is that typically, when you are dealing with meats, the fattiest cuts are also the tastiest cuts. As a child, before I became aware of this and that health concern and when I was active enough that I could eat whatever I wanted and never gain a pound, one my favorite things about when Dad made steaks on the grill, was eating the fat on the outside of the cut. And that is exactly what David is communicating. Take all of your health issues and set them to the side and think simply of the wonderful taste that comes with fat, and recognize that David is saying that his soul enjoys his God in the same way as his taste buds enjoys the fatty cuts of meat.
We, as humans, respond to food. This is not a cultural thing, but it is tied to our very being—we like to eat and we like to eat well. We have made an art out of fine cooking, and almost everything we do on a social level is done around food. Different cultures may have different styles of food that is popular with their palates, but there is food, none-the-less. And what David is seeking to communicate to us through the ages is that as satisfying as the best meal may be—and when we have an exceptional meal prepared for us, it is not uncommon for us to think of that meal for days if not weeks—and crave it again—so too, David says, his soul enjoys God. The question that needs to be asked, then, is does your soul crave God in the same way your mouth craves a favorite food. Do you look forward all day to your morning or evening prayer time in the same way that you look forward all day to a special meal that is being prepared? Do you savor your time in prayer as you do a good meal or do you see it as just one more thing to do?
Beloved, I think that we are all guilty of falling short of the mark that David sets for us, but he continues his metaphor in the second line of the psalm. Just as your lips and mouth do not remain silent, but instead rejoice, in a good meal, so too, his lips and mouth cannot remain silent at the presence of God in his life. And, indeed, David’s mouth did not remain silent, but from his mouth came the many sweet psalms of the first part of the book of Psalms. Loved ones, does your heart sing, do your lips exult, does your voice refuse to remain silent at the wonders of God? If so, then praise God, but if not, I pray that these words of David will spur you on and help nurture within you a heart of praise.
I will sing of my Redeemer, and his wondrous love to me:
On the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free.
Sing, O sing of my Redeemer! With his blood he purchased me;
On the cross he sealed my pardon, paid the debit and made me free.
-Philip Bliss
David in the Wilderness: Psalm 63 (part 5)
“Thus, I will bless you with my life;
in your name I will lift my hands.”
(Psalm 63:5 {Psalm 63:4 in English Bibles})
Not only will David lift his voice in praise, but he will lift his hands as well—fully praising his God and redeemer. What a simple, but wonderful thought to keep before us! Not only should our lips be lifted up in praise to our God, but so too should all of our body—everything that we do in life should be done for the praise and honor of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And, indeed, this is exactly what David is getting at when he says that he will bless God with his life. Life is about worship and nothing less. Life is not about accomplishing goals, learning facts, making money, or building families—it is about worship and everything else that we do (accomplishing goals, learning facts, making money, and building families included) is to be done to that end.
Loved ones, set this before you as you go through your day. Is what you are doing—whatever it may be—done in a way that is worshipful toward God? Do you do what you do out of a heart that is motivated by personal desires, or a desire to worship? Beloved, there is nothing more satisfying than the worship of God. A tool is most useful when it is used for the task for which it was created. When used for other things, its usefulness is reduced and it will likely become damaged and less effective a the task for which it was created. Beloved, you were created to worship God; you will never find satisfaction in anything else and in seeking those other things, you will likely damage yourself. Yet worship is a perfect and right fit and when you do all that you do (work, recreation, chores, etc…) out of a heart of worship toward God, you will find these things to be satisfying as well.
And let us not stop there, for it is not just the believer that has an obligation to worship, but all people—again, that is what we were created to do. And our being created in that way implies an obligation on us to do that which we were created to do. Not only must we be worshiping God for all that he has done—especially in our redemption—but we must worship God for who he is, and even those who have not experienced redemption owe this to God. God is infinitely wise, wonderful, beautiful, glorious, lovely, and powerful, and to neglect to praise one who is so much greater than you or I in every way is downright rude and arrogant—downright sinful.
Oh, loved ones, how easy it is to become burdened and distracted by all of the cares of the world and all of our daily and weekly obligations. Yet, beloved, how this causes us to lose focus of what we are to be about in this world. We are to worship and we are to be about worship in all that we do. If we lose sight of this, we will not only be less effective at all we do, but we will find that we are wounding and damaging ourselves, just as a flathead screwdriver is damaged when one takes to use it as a chisel. Commit yourself to worship, friends, and all the other things will fall into their proper places.
O bless the Lord, my soul;
Let all within me join,
And aid my tongue to bless his name,
Whose favors are divine.
-Isaac Watts
The Contagiousness of Worship! (New Song, part 11)
“The Contagiousness of Worship”
Worship, when it is filled with the Holy Spirit, is contagious. I expect that this is part of the reason that the scriptures emphasize that believers are to live within a covenant community. Not only can we support one another, but in our joined worship, we enable each other and lift each other up. I don’t expect that this principle could be displayed any more graphically than it is displayed here at the end of Revelation, chapter 5. As soon as the twelve elders finish their song (which we have been looking at), they are joined by the four living creatures, the four cherubim, that are around the throne. Then they are joined by “myriads of myriads” of angels.
If you are interested in mathematics, a myriad is 10,000. Thus, a myriad of myriads, would be 10,000 times 10,000, or 100,000,000. And John describes “myriads of myriads,” both being plural. Thus, if we take this number literally, there are hundreds of millions of angels around the throne singing praise (this would require a choir loft that was 10 miles long and 10 miles deep!). Regardless of whether you take this number literally or figuratively as an uncountable number, it is one heck of a large chorus!
I had the blessing a number of years ago to participate in a evening worship service at a youth retreat where there were an estimated 90,000 youth and adults—all lifting their praises to heaven. It was a beautiful thing to behold. In Exodus 15, we are told that when the Israelites had crossed over the Red Sea safely, they sang praise to God—the men being led by Moses and the women by Miriam. We can safely assume that there were at least a million people present at this event. The sound of their voices must have shook the earth! Now multiply that and imagine for a moment hundreds of millions of angelic voices lifted up in perfect harmony to our Lord and God! What an amazing thing that must have been for John to witness!
And if that wasn’t enough, all of creation lifted its voice to join the heavenly song! True worship is contagious, oh believer, what joy you have to look forward to! This chapter closes appropriately, indeed. Once this amazing chorus finishes it’s last verse, the four cherubim around the throne, say, “Amen!” And the elders fall on their faces and worship. Loved ones, this is what God has planned for you. Don’t be too busy worrying about the individual blessings that are promised in scripture—in comparison to this—they are nickels and dimes.
O For a thousand tongues to sing
my great Redeemer’s praise,
the glories of my God and King,
the triumphs of his grace.
Hear him, ye deaf; his praise ye dumb,
your loosen’d tongues employ;
ye blind, behold your Savior come;
and leap, ye lame, for joy.
-Charles Wesley
Reigning with Christ! (New Song, part 10)
“We will reign with Christ”
One of the major themes of Revelation is that the prize to those who overcome is not only eternal life with Christ, but a co-reign with Christ as well (see Revelation 2:26-27, 3:21). As the Messiah is given authority over the nations (see Psalm 2:8), here we see Jesus, who is the Messiah, sharing that authority with believers.
We are not given all of the details as to exactly how this will look, though some have built entire theologies around their speculations as to what this is about. While we don’t know all of the specifics, one thing that we can say is that any authority that we might be given will be given through Christ himself. The new heavens and earth, will be a world restored to the perfection of Eden, and we, in our glorified bodies, will fill it. Just as Adam and Eve were given governorship of the world as stewards of God, so too, we will be Christ’s stewards over the world. If we add much more we enter into the realm of speculation.
What amazing gifts and blessings Jesus promises to his own! Not only does he bless us and provide for us while we are here on earth, but he has prepared a land for us and has promised to shower us with blessings upon joining him in paradise. Simply being in the presence of God is infinitely more than enough, but Jesus goes beyond our capacity to imagine and has prepared a city in which we may live blessedly with him forever! And yet, at times, we begrudge him the praise he is due…
He rules the world with truth and grace,
and makes the nations prove
the glories of his righteousness
and wonders of his love,
and wonders of his love,
and wonders, wonders of his love.
-Isaac Watts
Our Great High Priest! (New Song, part 9)
“Our Great High Priest”
Though not specifically mentioned here in this particular hymn, where there is a nation of priests, there also must be a high priest. And, of course, that high priest is Jesus. He is the one who makes constant intercession for us before the father, and it is he who provided the sacrifice that brought us into fellowship with God the Father. Jesus is the only head of the church.
With this in mind, there can be ecclesial hierarchy within the church, though we see hierarchies within many denominations. Many call themselves Bishops or Arch-Bishops or Cardinals, etc… These have no place in Christ’s church. While it is true that the term e∆pi√skopoß (episkopos), from which we get the term “bishop” is a biblical term, it is a term that is used interchangeably with presbuvteroß (presbuteros). Both of these terms refer to one who is an elder in the church. In a sense, then, it is perfectly acceptable for any local pastor to call himself a Bishop, yet, given the way the term has been mis-appropriated by certain denominations, it would be the heights of pride for him to refer to himself in this way. Even the Apostle Peter refers to himself as a “fellow elder” in the church (1 Peter 5:1).
Elect from every nation,
yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
one holy name she blesses,
partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses,
with every grace endued.
-Samuel Stone
The Scope of the Atonement! (New Song, part 7)
“The Limited Scope of the Atonement”
At the same time that Jesus’ ransom was for people from every tribe and nation, do note that it is not performed for all people or tribes without exception; rather, it is for all people and tribes without distinction. Christ’s atoning work was fully effective for the people he came to save, often referred to as the elect. The names written on the Lamb’s Book of Life were written before the foundation of the earth, nothing could ever erase them, and Jesus died to atone for the sins of those whose names are written within.
This does not mean that others, who will eventually and eternally reject the work of Christ, do not benefit from the blood that was shed by Jesus. Yet, the benefit they enjoy is secondary and it is not salvific. The world benefits from the good work of those who are saved. Hospitals, schools, relief agencies, and homeless shelters almost always have their roots in the work of Christian believers. Missionaries have been willing to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to every corner of the earth, where others would never dream of going, in the hopes of taking the gospel to some. Missionaries have often had to create a written language based on the spoken language that a culture used so that they can translate the Bible for them, this allows the tribes to communicate and learn, preserving their thoughts in written form for future generations.
God also gives some general blessings to all people. He gives rain to the crops without distinction; he gives air that is breathable, and new life in the womb. It is through Jesus that God the Father created and it is through Jesus that all things are held together, thus, without Jesus, the fabric of the universe would have torn itself asunder.
Were the scope of Jesus’ work to have been universal, there would be no people in Hell. Yet, Jesus talks more about the reality of Hell and those who will be sent there than any other New Testament writer or person. He ought to know, I think. Thus, if Jesus’ work is effective and unable to be frustrated, and if there is a Hell and it is populated, then by definition, Jesus’ atoning work was only for those he came to save.
Can you have any assurance that you are elect? Sure. If you have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ, if your life was drastically changed by him, if you are holding to him, clinging to him as your Lord and Savior, if you have served him by serving others, if you hunger and thirst for the things of God, and especially if you have remained faithful even through many difficult valleys, then you are one of the elect. These things mentioned above are works done within you by the Holy Spirit; they were not things you did on your own strength. And if Christ has begun a good work in you, he will bring that work to completion (Philippians 1:6).
Come, thou fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
-Robert Robinson
A Mission to the World! (New Song, part 6)
“A Mission to the World”
The Jews assumed that the Messiah, when he would come, would be a political ruler who would restore the Jewish nation state to independence, as in the time of David. Yet, this is neither how the Old Testament prophets anticipated the Messiah to be, nor was it how Jesus was. He came as the suffering servant of Isaiah’s prophesies (Isaiah 49:6) who would be a light to the nations, drawing people from every corner of the earth to himself.
Yet, how would this ministry be ultimately fulfilled? Jesus would tell his disciples to “go and make disciples…” (Matthew 28:16-20). And that job has been passed down to us. Believe it or not, even after all of these years, there are still parts of this world that have never been confronted with the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are still un-reached tribes in un-reached regions; there is still much work to do.
We must also remember the commission is to go and make disciples. That means that we need not only go to convert the people in these nations and regions, but we need to plant churches, build schools, and establish seminaries to teach and train these people up in the truth of the gospel. This is an ongoing work.
And this work is work that we all can participate in. If we are unable to go ourselves, we can send. We can raise up our children to see missions as a normal and regular part of Christian service. We can help fund missionaries who are working in the field so that they can concentrate on the work that they have been sent to do. And we can pray for the missionaries that are at work and pray that God will raise up more missionaries, even from our midst, to go into the field. This is what God has commissioned us to do, that people from every tribe and tongue and nation would come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
We’ve a message to give to the nations,
That the Lord who reigneth above,
Hath sent us His Son to save us,
And show us that God is love,
And show us that God is love.
For the darkness shall turn to dawning,
And the dawning to noonday bright,
And Christ’s great kingdom shall come to earth,
The kingdom of love and light.
-Colin Sterne
The Ransom Paid! (New Song, part 5)
“The Ransom Paid”
We must be careful when we talk about the ransom to be paid, or the debit owed, because we must be absolutely clear as to whom that ransom was paid to. Through the history of the church, some have argued that Jesus’ death was a ransom paid to the Devil for sin, to redeem his people from the clutches of the enemy. Loved ones, this theology is wrong, for God owes no one, especially not the devil, anything at all. Scripture tells us that God chose the elect even before he began creating, which means that he chose the elect before there was sin in the world and before there was any need for a ransom.
Yet, there is a debit that is owed, and that is a debit that we owe to God. In ancient days, when countries were at war with each other, if one country was loosing badly and wanted to bring an end to the warfare, they would sue for peace. They would pay a large sum of money to the other nation, and the war would be considered over.
In a way, that is the same with us. We, in our sin, have been rebels against God for hundreds of generations. Our sin is an affront to a Holy and Righteous God, and there is a just penalty—a price—that is owed to God as a result. The promise is that no matter what we do, and no matter how good we are, we can never hope to repay that debit. Not even someone like Mother Theresa or William Carey could do it. Yet, Jesus chose to do it on behalf of those who put their faith in him as Lord and Savior—the elect. And, oh how grateful we should be!
John tells us that Jesus is the propitiation for our sin (1 John 2:2). Propitiation is different from atonement. Atonement is the making of peace between two parties. Propitiation is the act that brings atonement. We stand convicted and guilty of sin. Jesus acknowledges that and he acknowledges the price we owe as a result. And Jesus paid the price, beloved; he paid it all.
For nothing good have I
whereby your grace to claim—
I’ll wash my garments white
in the blood of Calvary’s Lamb.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe;
sin had left a crimson stain,
he washed me white as snow.
-Elvina Hall
Jesus Was Slain! (New Song, part 4)
“Jesus Was Slain”
To those who would deny the crucifixion, this song affirms even this gruesome detail of Jesus’ ministry. Without the shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22); each year, the priest, on the day of atonement, would slay a lamb for the forgiveness of the people’s sins (Exodus 30:10), and Jesus has become that lamb for all of the elect (Matthew 26:28), and as Jesus’ sacrifice is perfect and effective, it is a sacrifice that never needs repeating (Hebrews 9:25-26).
In addition, it is a reminder to the historicity of the crucifixion. So many liberals would simply say that there was no real Jesus of history, and if there really was, he wasn’t anything like the Jesus we find in the Bible. Friends, ignore their lies. This song, as does all of scripture, affirms the historical sacrifice of Jesus.
Friends, Jesus was willing to pay a gruesome price for the redemption of believers. If you are a believer, born again by the Spirit in Jesus Christ, then he paid a terrible price for your eternal redemption. Yet, This is something that Jesus gladly did. Don’t take it for granted. It is too easy to relegate the words of scripture to a list of abstract concepts. There was nothing abstract about Jesus. He lived and he died, living in this world as you and I. He was slain for the sins of you and me. Yet, he arose, and therein lies our hope, for he has promised that if we put our faith in him as our Lord and Savior, then he will raise us as well on the last day.
Death cannot keep his prey—
Jesus, my Savior,
he tore the bars away—
Jesus, my Lord.
Up from the grave he arose,
with a mighty triumph o’er his foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose!
Hallelujah! Christ arose!
-Robert Lowry
The Scroll! (New Song, part 3)
“The Scroll”
Though there is some debate as to just what the scroll that is depicted here in Revelation represents, in context, it seems that the scroll represents God’s redemptive plan for history, namely as is unfolded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. For that book to be opened, God’s righteous judgments against mankind need to be brought about (the opening of the seals). And Jesus is the only one who is worthy to unfold the plan of God in history.
Paul speaks of God having chosen his elect since before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:4). That means that before God even began the work of creation, God wrote this scroll. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, he wrote your name on this scroll before the ages began. And he sealed the scroll up with the judgments that would come as a result of the fall. Yet, these judgments are only opened up through the mitigation of Christ—Christ who God promised to Adam and Eve at the fall (Genesis 3:15). Were it not for Christ, we would have perished long ago. Judgment and redemption are intimately interwoven with the person of Christ. What a gracious God we have. What a wonderful savior we have been given!
A wonderful savior is Jesus my Lord,
a wonderful savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock.
where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
that shadows a dry, thirsty land;
he hideth my life in the depths of his love,
and covers me there with his hand,
and covers me there with his hand.
–Fanny Crosby
Jesus is Worthy! (New Song, part 2)
“Jesus is Worthy”
Jesus is worthy of our praise and no one else is. Mohammed was not worthy, Buddha was not worthy, Krishna was not worthy, our governments are not worthy, humanistic teachers are not worthy—no one but Jesus is worthy of our praise and adoration.
Jesus is worthy first because of his perfect character. From the beginning of time, Jesus is and was infinitely perfect in all of his ways. He is God. And for that simple fact, he deserves our worship. Friends, not only is the unbelief of the non-Christian a sin, but the refusal to worship both of the non-believer and of the casual churchgoer is also a sin. Had Jesus never done any work of redemption, he still would have been infinitely worthy of our praise and honor.
Yet, in his work of redemption, how much more worthy is he! He condescended to take on flesh and walk with us. He came to us while we were still rebels against God, wallowing in our sin—and he called us to himself. He did the work of redemption that bridged the infinite gap between a Holy God and a sinful man. He did that for me. And if you are a born-again believer, he did that for you as well. Because he did for me what I could have never done for myself, how much more is he worthy of my praise!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus our blessed Redeemer!
Sing, O Earth, his wonderful love proclaim!
Hail him! hail him! highest archangels in glory;
strength and honor give to his holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard his children,
in his arms he carries them all day long;
Praise him! praise him! tell of his excellent greatness;
praise him! praise him! ever in joyful song!
–Fanny Crosby
A New Song!: Introduction
Introduction:
While we often think of the book of Revelation in terms of God’s judgment being brought upon his enemies, one of the major themes of Revelation is that of worship. In fact, nearly half (24 of 60 uses) of the New Testament uses of the verb proskunew (proskuneo), which means “to worship,” are found in the book of Revelation. It is a book that depicts both proper worship in heaven in the here and now and proper worship in heaven when all of the elect are finally gathered around the throne of Christ.
With that in mind, Revelation is also a book that contains quite a few songs to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (and especially to the Son for his redeeming work). It is as if the Apostle John can’t help but break out in joyful song as he relates his theophany to us.
In the church today, there are (and I expect will always be) debates surrounding the use of new hymns being used in the church. Some churches even go as far as to exclusively sing the psalms, as God’s inspired songbook. I think that singing the psalms is great! I also think that singing the New Testament songs is a great thing to do (though in the New Testament we are largely only given fragments of the song itself)! And, I think that the inclusion of songs in the New Testament sets a precedent that each generation should always be contributing to the body of hymnody. Yes, that means that some hymns will pass into obscurity as new ones are added, but the best ones will not. I can’t imagine a day when a company will print a hymnal without standards like “Amazing Grace”, “O For a Thousand Tongues,” and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
The key that we have to keep before us is to be careful that the new songs teach good theology. So much of the theology that we learn is from the hymns. Hymns often touch us deeply and stick with us, thus helping to shape the way we think about God and the Bible. One of the great things about the “tried and true” hymns of the faith is that they have been tried and tested by generations as to what they teach. As a generation that is adding new songs to the hymnody of the church, it is our responsibility to weed through the good and bad hymns on the basis of what they teach about our Lord.
Jesus is worth a hundred thousand generations of hymns and more! His glory is beyond the capacity of our language to convey! And once this world passes away, we will have an eternity to try and properly praise his worth. I look forward to that day. But for now, even in our limited capacity, we should be giving our all to the joyful task of that praise.
These two verses contain a fragment of a hymn that John witnessed the angels singing in heaven. As I mentioned above, there is a lot of theology that is contained within our hymnody. I thought it would be useful to look briefly at some of the theology that is taught within this wonderful hymn fragment.
My Mouth Will Declare Your Praise: Psalm 51 (part 16)
“Oh Lord, my lips you will open,
and my mouth will declare your praise.”
(Psalm 51:17 {Psalm 51:15 in English Bibles})
Loved ones, hear these words of David, and hear them well. When it comes to your worship, and what the writer of Hebrews calls your “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15), the value and quality of it has nothing to do with the skill that is demonstrated. The value of it lies within the origin of the praise. Is the praise that you give a product of the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, or is it a product of men? You may have the voice of a world-class operatic singer, but if your song is not powered by the movement of the Holy Spirit, you are but a noisy and lifeless instrument. Yet, you may have no more skill than a school-child, but if your praise is lifted up by a sincere heart before the Lord, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit, such a song is considered sweet in the ears of God.
Friends, do not forget who it is that is writing these words—it is David the songwriter. Yet, David understood clearly that the power behind his songs was the working hand of God in his life. It is God who must open our lips so that praise may flow forth. At the same time, sometimes our lips become closed in the wake of great sin, yet David sets these words forth in confidence, knowing that in his repentance, God will restore him in faith and will once again give him a voice to sing God’s praises.
Beloved, do you sing to God? I mean, do you really sing with your whole heart? Are you intimidated because you have difficulty holding a tune? Are you afraid that you will be off-key with the person in the pew next to you? Do you worry what that person will say of your singing behind your back? Beloved, there may be a hundred reasons why you do not sing your praises to God, but there are an infinite number of reasons to praise him with your whole voice! Loved ones, we are a people who have been redeemed from sin and death—how can we spend a moment of our lives not praising God? Yet, if you are one of those who are gifted in voice (something that I am not J), make sure that you are not singing because of the praise of your audience—if you sing thus, it will serve no other purpose. Rather, sing praise that points to God and use your gift to point others heavenward. Lastly, loved ones, praise God both inside and outside of His sanctuary. Praise him when you go to and fro; praise him in your homes and in your cars; praise him in your waking and sleeping—praise him, praise him, praise him in all that you do. Give God the glory, for great things he has done!
To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
Who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life-gate that we may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord,
Let the people rejoice!
O Come to the Father through Jesus the Son,
And give him the glory, great things he has done!
-Fanny Crosby
Praise Yahweh–All the Nations!
“Praise Yahweh, all ye nations!
Laud him, all ye tribes!
For his chesed is mighty over us,
and the truth of Yahweh is eternal!
Praise Yahweh!
(Psalm 117:1-2)
How greatly our God blesses his people! How wonderful is our God’s faithfulness throughout the generations! How our God has given us so much more—abundantly more—than we need and deserve! And how our God has shown us grace even in disobedience! Oh, beloved, how we should praise the God of Abram, Isaac, and Jacob who has adopted us as children through his Son, Jesus Christ! But not only should we praise God for his goodness to us, so should the rest of the world! Let not only God’s people praise his glorious name, let all the peoples of the earth praise his name for God has been good to us.
This is a bold statement, and it is one that we often do not think of when we evangelize the nations. We usually speak to them about grace and about the truth of God’s word. We speak to them about Christ and about Him crucified, and we speak about forgiveness. Now all of these things are essential to our witness, but the psalmist presents this as one more thing that is essential—come to a relationship with God through Jesus Christ because God is faithful to his people. And we, of course, are not just talking about any general faithfulness, but we are talking about God’s ds,x, (chesed)—God’s covenantal faithfulness in spite of our covenantal unfaithfulness.
Yet, even if the nations never come to faith, they are to praise God—even laud him—because of God’s faithfulness to us. Why? Because their gods, being of wood, metal, and stone, cannot respond for they are nothing more than the works of craftsmen—how can they respond, for they are deaf and mute! The tribes of the world know nothing about a god being faithful to them—they know nothing of chesed. And as they look to Israel—now toward spiritual Israel—they should rejoice that there is a God in the land who does actually care for his people and who proves himself faithful over and over in spite of his people’s unfaithfulness. It is the principle that it is right to rejoice with your neighbor over your neighbor’s blessings even when you lack. Oh, and let us not forget that for the believer, God’s blessings are meant to be shared as a tool of the gospel.
Oh, beloved, do we really believe these words? Do we really believe that every nation in the world has an obligation to praise God because God has been good to us? Are we bold enough to tell the Muslims and the Hindus, for example, that are persecuting Christians so harshly in many places, that their sin is not simply in their persecution, but their sin is in a failure to worship God. Are we bold enough to tell our unbelieving neighbor, that even though he is not receiving blessings from God, he has an obligation to praise God because God has been good to us. Do not miss the gentile focus of these psalms; they provide an apologetic of God’s grace to his people—a testimony of God’s faithfulness and goodness throughout their history—a sign of our great God’s grace to us, a sinful and rebellious people.
Dear friends, oftentimes, when we think about evangelism, we think about going door to door handing out tracts or using the Evangelism Explosion method of witnessing—and these are good tools. Yet, should we not give strong consideration to the evangelism methods that our Lord gives us in scripture? Should we not also give preeminence to those ways which God communicates in his inerrant word? If this is so, let the words of this psalm sink deeply in your heart. The unbelieving nations are called to praise God because God has been good to his people—to us. Do you live your life in such a way that unbelievers see God’s goodness to you? Is your lifestyle such that causes unbelievers to see and desire what you have that they lack? Beloved, this is the evangelism method of the psalmist—live your life glorying in God in such a way that the world is drawn to join you in worship. Yet, I wonder which is harder for most professing Christians in our culture, to pass out tracts or talk along a memorized script, or to truly and genuinely exalt in worship—exalting in such a way that it shapes every second of their life and every activity of their day. Beloved, that will attract people to Christ, but it demands your life. Are you willing to give it?
All glory laud and honor,
To Thee, Redeemer, King,
To whom the lips of children
Made sweet hosannas ring.
Thou art the King of Israel,
Thou David’s royal Son,
Who in the Lord’s name comest,
The King and Blessed One.
-Theodulph of Orleans
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