Tuesday, January 4

Tuesday

All of the Psalms are designed to teach us to do one thing - to worship. The Psalms reflect every human emotion, but they do so in a distinct and important way: they are emotions seen in relationship to God. Every Psalm is written in the presence of God. This book, therefore, teaches us how to be honest before God.

If you have a problem, tell God about it. Don't hide it. Don't cover it up.  Don’t pretend that it (whatever it is) isn’t bothering you. Especially, don't get pious and sanctimonious and try to smooth it over with religious speech.  When you stop and think about it, it is really ridiculous for us to think that we can hide our true feelings from God.  Who do we think we are fooling?  Do we really think that God would rather have us put on a good religious face and pretend to be happy and joyful in His presence when we are really feeling discouraged or fearful?  If you are angry with God, say so. If you are upset about something he has done, tell him so. If you are resentful, bring it out. If you are happy and glad, express that too. That is what worship is – an honest heart.  In fact, you can actually worship God better shaking your fist at Him than by offering a bunch of religious speech that you do not really mean.  As Jesus said to the woman at the well in Samaria, "The true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth." (John 4:23)

God is looking for that kind of worshiper. And as you learn to worship in Spirit and truth, you will discover a new source of strength. If you can be honest before God, even about those troublesome problems and even in the midst of bad moods and attitudes, you will gradually find His grace answering your questions and meeting your needs.  As we said earlier, all Psalms are designed to teach us to worship.  But there were a few Psalms that were at the very center of the corporate worship of God’s people in the Old Testament. 

The 95^th Psalm is one of a series of psalms which the Israelites sang together as they went up to the temple in Jerusalem to worship (these Psalms are often referred to as the “Psalms of Ascent”).  This series begins with the 93^rd and concludes with the 100^th Psalm. Each of these is a demonstration and exhortation on how to worship. They are not only magnificent poetry but they are also instructions on what worship is and how it is to be done.

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.  In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.  Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.     – Psalm 95:1-7

Do you see what the Psalmist is doing?  He is giving the basic reasons why everyone should worship God.  They apply not only to those of us who are believers but to all men, whether they acknowledge it or not.  Each man has a responsibility to praise God, for all are creatures of his hands.  Have you ever considered that worship is a debt that you owe to God?  In the first chapter of Romans the Apostle Paul points out that one of the charges God brings against men is that  “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21)  They did not care to recognize their relationship to him. 

The truth is that sometimes I just don’t feel like worshipping God.  I can be self-absorbed and prideful to the point that I actually think my life is all about me.  I am too easily distracted and too often forgetful of God.  The Psalmist calls us away from focusing on ourselves, and calls us to consider who God is, what He has done, and who we are in relationship to Him.  This is the foundation of our worship – not our needs or our desires, but the character and nature of our God!

You cannot focus your mind & heart on Him while you are consumed with yourself.  What are you worried about?  What are you stressed about?  What are you angry about?  What are you afraid of?  What do you obsess over?  What are you confused about?  What are you trying in vain to control?  Whatever it is, tell God about it (hint – He already knows), then as you begin to worship, let Him shift the focus of your heart from you to Him!