Psalms – Prayers of Honesty and Praise
As we gather in our church groups today may we remember to thank God for all He is done, is doing and will do in our lives and in those lives around us who are His believing children. May we tell God’s Story to those who are coming to see who God is for the very first time. May we focus on The One who saved us with humble adoration. May we worship the One who protects us and provides for all we need. May we sing with joy in our hearts and smiles on our faces that bubble up from a well of gladness and thanksgiving. Come. Let us worship The One who sets all things right in His time, in His way, with His power. He is God, He is The One and Only. And we are not. Don’t forget why we gather.
Psalm 75, The Message
We thank you, God, we thank you— your Name is our favorite word;
your mighty works are all we talk about.
2-4 You say, “I’m calling this meeting to order,
I’m ready to set things right.
When the earth goes topsy-turvy
And nobody knows which end is up,
I nail it all down,
I put everything in place again.
I say to the smart alecks, ‘That’s enough,’
to the bullies, ‘Not so fast.’”
5-6 Don’t raise your fist against High God.
Don’t raise your voice against Rock of Ages.
He’s the One from east to west;
from desert to mountains, he’s the One.
7-8 God rules: he brings this one down to his knees, pulls that one up on her feet.
God has a cup in his hand,
a bowl of wine, full to the brim.
He draws from it and pours;
it’s drained to the dregs.
Earth’s wicked ones drink it all,
drink it down to the last bitter drop!
9-10 And I’m telling the story of God Eternal,
singing the praises of Jacob’s God.
The fists of the wicked
are bloody stumps,
The arms of the righteous
are lofty green branches.
SOMETHING MORE…This prayer psalm contains very important elements of true worship to God as a gathering of believers devoted to Him.
We Begin with an Invocation of Praise:
True worship centers on the Lord and not on us, our personal problems, or our “felt needs.” We praise God for who He is–His glorious attributes–and for His wonderful works. God’s name is a synonym for God’s person and presence. He is indeed “a very present help in trouble” (46:1), and when God’s people call on the Lord, they know He will hear them. We thank the Lord for all He has done, and we tell others about His wonderful works. Though God wants us to bring our burdens to Him and seek His help, worship begins with getting our eyes of faith off the circumstances of life and focusing them on the Lord God Almighty.
Is your heart, mind and soul prepared to worship God with all that is in you?
We Hear the Lord’s Message (vv. 2-5):If we expect the Lord to receive our words of praise, we must pay attention to His Word of truth as it is read, sung, and preached.
Are we ready to learn?
We Apply God’s Message Personally (vv. 6-8):
How easy it is to hear God’s message, leave the meeting, and then forget to obey what we heard! The blessing doesn’t come in the hearing but in the doing of God’s Word (James 1:22-25).
Are we ready to live what we have learned?
We Close with Praise and the Fear of the Lord (vv. 9-10): “As for me” (v. 9 nasb) indicates decision on the part of the psalmist. Asaph had participated in the sanctuary worship and helped lead the music, but he, too, had to make a decision to obey the Lord and tell others about Him. Witness and praise go together. Telling God’s Story to others IS praise to God.
Are we ready to tell others God’s Story…all He has done, is doing and will do?
“The God of Jacob” is a frequent title for Jehovah in the Psalms (20:1; 24:6; 46:7; 81:1, 4; 84:8; 94:7; 114:7; 132:2, 5; 146:5). It’s easy for us to identify with Jacob, who was not always a great man of faith, and yet God deigns to be called by Jacob’s name! What an encouragement to us! The fact that God will one day judge the wicked ought to motivate us to share the gospel with them, and the fact that God’s people (“the righteous”) will be exalted ought to humble us and give us faith and courage in the difficult hours of life.
God knows we are not perfect but He provided a way for us to be perfectly forgiven. This is not what we do but what HE has done for us. If that isn’t enough to praise Him, then I don’t know what else others need to live freely, worship joyfully, trust explicitly and tenaciously obey THE ONE. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you have done, are doing and will do in our lives and in the lives of those around us. We come to you with humble hearts, willing minds to learn, and souls that long for Your Presence this morning. May our worship together with others be pleasing to you and a learning time for us.
In Jesus Name, Amen
