Do you ever wonder why music is playing as you come into the church?  Do you wonder why the first song is an upbeat song of praise to the God who is, was and always will be?  Then wonder no more.  For centuries, what musicians were created to be and do has been written in the Psalms.  CALL all the people of God to worship!  This is the HEART of worship.  Raised hands, shouts of praise, smiles all around, sing the victory songs loud and strong to God and for God and no one else.  This is not a performance for each other; this call to worship is an admiration of praise to the One and Only we love first and most!  We were created to praise and worship our Creator! 

The promise of 46:10 is fulfilled in 47: “I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth”. Five times the people are commanded to “sing praises” to the Lord, who “reigns over the nations”.  This also makes it a messianic psalm, with an emphasis on the coming kingdom.  We see three declarations to God in this psalm, a call to worship to God with all we’ve got in us!

1. Our God Is an Awesome King (vv. 1-4). We have moved from “Be still” (46:10) to shouting, clapping, and the blowing of trumpets. Jewish worship was enthusiastic, but they also knew how to be quiet before the Lord and wait upon Him…also worship.  Since the theme of the psalm is the kingship of the Lord, they worshipped Him the way they welcomed a new king.  “Clap your hands, all you people” was the joyous mantra!  The early church patterned its worship after the synagogue and emphasized prayer, the reading and expounding of Scripture, and the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. When the Jewish people clapped their hands and shouted, it was to the Lord in response to His marvelous works.  They did not do it to praise the people who participated in the worship service.  To know God is to know One who is awesome in all that He is, says, and does.

1. 2. Our God Is a Triumphant King (v. 5). God fills heaven and earth, but when He acts on earth on behalf of His people, the Scriptures sometimes describe Him as “coming down.”  Then after victory “went up”.  From the human viewpoint, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a great defeat and tragedy, but not from God’s viewpoint. Jesus “came down” from heaven.  In His sacrifice on the cross, Jesus won the victory over the world and the Devil and satisfied the claims of God’s holy law so that sinners could believe and be saved. What a victory! He then ascended “went up” to heaven, far above every enemy (Eph. 1:19-22), where He sits at the right hand of the Majesty on high (Heb. 1:3).
3. Our God Is King of Kings (vv. 6-9). A remarkable thing occurs: The rulers and peoples of the Gentile nations join Israel in praising the Lord Jehovah! He is not simply the God and King of Israel, but He is the “King of all the earth.” It was God’s plan when He called Abraham that Israel would be a blessing to all the earth, for “salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).  Salvation came through Jesus for ALL nations.

Israel brought us the knowledge of the one true and living God, they gave us the Scriptures, and they gave us Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. Today, Jews and Gentiles in the church are praising God together (Eph. 2:11.), and one day in the glorious kingdom, Jews and Gentiles will glorify and praise Him!

For God’s people, every day is Ascension Day as we praise and worship the exalted and ascended Lord.

THE CALL TO DEEPER WORSHIP…

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ² Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  Romans 12:1-2, NIV

Come, let us worship our King right now, today!

Worship and Wisdom, Psalms and Proverbs

Psalm 47, The Message

^1-9 Applause, everyone. Bravo, bravissimo!
    Shout God-songs at the top of your lungs!
God Most High is stunning,
    astride land and ocean.
He crushes hostile people,
    puts nations at our feet.
He set us at the head of the line,
    prize-winning Jacob, his favorite.
Loud cheers as God climbs the mountain,
    a ram’s horn blast at the summit.
Sing songs to God, sing out!
    Sing to our King, sing praise!
He’s Lord over earth,
    so sing your best songs to God.
God is Lord of godless nations—
    sovereign, he’s King of the mountain.
Princes from all over are gathered,
    people of Abraham’s God.
The powers of earth are God’s—
    he soars over all.

TRUTH:  We are called to praise and worship the God of all, Who is in all and created all.

Proverb 17:24-28, The Message

The perceptive find wisdom in their own front yard;
    fools look for it everywhere but right here.

²⁵ A surly, stupid child is sheer pain to a father,
    a bitter pill for a mother to swallow.

²⁶ It’s wrong to penalize good behavior,
    or make good citizens pay for the crimes of others.

²⁷ The one who knows much says little;
    an understanding person remains calm.

²⁸ Even dunces who keep quiet are thought to be wise;
    as long as they keep their mouths shut, they’re smart.

WISDOM:  The perceptive find wisdom when they ask God for it.  For this alone, is worthy of God’s praise, love, worship and admiration.

Abba Father, Lord and Savior,

We praise you for Who You have been to Your people, for Who You are to us, and for Who You will always be, the great I AM.  You are the Creator and Sustainer of Life.  You are Savior and Lord.  You are the Victor over all evil.  You are Compassionate and Merciful.  You are the only one who has the right to judge, yet You are full of grace and help us through our messes.  You are King of kings and Lord of lords.  You are Healer, Protector, and Provider.  You are God and we are not.  We praise You and You alone.  You are the only One who is worthy to be praised!  Thank you for Your Presence.  We come to you with only thanksgiving and joyful praise this very hour.  We will worship you all day long by hearing your voice above others and obeying you quickly.  I give myself, all of me, to you.  I’m at your service.  Speak to my heart.  Show me your Ways and what you want from me today.

In Jesus Name, Amen