{"id":53371,"date":"2023-05-02T09:39:41","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T16:39:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/?p=53371"},"modified":"2023-05-02T09:44:50","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T16:44:50","slug":"worship-as-praise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.olivetree.com\/blog\/worship-as-praise\/","title":{"rendered":"Worship As Praise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Bible is unique in that it comes complete with its own songbook\u2014the Psalms. Not only are the Psalms songs that we can sing to God, but they also instruct us on what our worship should consist of and why we should do it in the first place. What we find frequently in the Psalms is that worship consists of praising the Lord for who he is and what he does. Let\u2019s look at one example of this in Psalm 138<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The content for this blog was adapted from the Preacher\u2019s Commentary<\/a>, a 35-volume commentary on the entire Bible. See this blog post<\/a> to learn more and get a glimpse of how it looks in the Olive Tree App<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Worship?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reasons We Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

What will get us to show up for the public worship of God? There are many answers to this question. As Professor C. Peter Wagner of Fuller Theological Seminary points out, there are churches that present themselves as teaching centers where we come to learn. Everybody in attendance has an open Bible. There are also churches that present themselves as social centers, engaged in the crises of our time. These congregations are issue-oriented and pride themselves as being on the cutting edge. Then there are churches designed strictly for inspiration; they are sort of spiritual shopping centers for all our needs. Their pastors smile a lot and are upbeat, with how-to sermons. Other churches flourish ministering to the \u201crock\u201d generation, with an informal, contemporary format in worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some people show up at these churches to engage in worship out of a sense of history or tradition. In parts of the world, church attendance is still an expected ritual. Others worship publicly to assuage guilt or to satisfy family expectations. Some even go to church to gain favor with God, as if He is impressed with our attendance. Then there are those who attend because of a pastor\u2019s pressure or for business contacts. Some even appear occasionally with a vague feeling that it is good for them. Others come out of desperation, sincerely looking for God. Then there are those who worship out of disciplined discipleship. They are present, not so much to get, as to give. They hunger to give themselves to God in praise and to give themselves to each other in love and ministry. But why should we engage in public worship, really?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God is Worthy of Praise because of His Word and His Work<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Psalm 138<\/a> addresses the issue of motives in worship. For the psalmist, worship begins with the character of God. He is to be worshiped for who He is: for His covenant-love and His truth (v. 2<\/a>). But how is this to be known? The answer is that God Himself speaks and acts when we call upon Him. God has \u201cmagnified\u201d His words (v. 2<\/a>) and answered prayer (v. 3<\/a>). He has had regard for the lowly (v. 6<\/a>), bringing revival (v. 7<\/a>). He acts against the psalmist\u2019s enemies (v. 7<\/a>), saving him by the works of His hands (v. 8<\/a>). In summary, God is to be worshiped because of His Word (He reveals Himself) and His work (He acts upon our behalf). These two facts should bring us to our knees in submission and to our feet in praise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commentators describe Psalm 138<\/a> as an individual psalm of thanksgiving. While tradition gives it to David as the author, its language seems at points to be close to Isaiah 40ff<\/a>. The thought moves from a confession of personal praise<\/strong> (vv. 1\u20133<\/a>) to a vision of universal praise <\/strong>(vv. 4\u20136<\/a>) and ends with confidence in divine protection<\/strong> (vv. 7\u20138<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personal Praise (vv. 1\u20133<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Confession and Praise<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The psalmist begins verse 1<\/a> confessing that he will \u201cpraise\u201d God, as he says, \u201cwith my whole heart.\u201d This includes both his mental and emotional capacities. Thus he will fulfill the Great Commandment to love God with all that he is (see Deut. 6:4\u20135<\/a>). He will sing praises to Yahweh \u201cbefore the gods.\u201d The \u201cgods\u201d (elo\u00afh\u00eem<\/em>) can best be understood as \u201cheavenly beings.\u201d The Septuagint rightly translates \u201cangels.\u201d They make up the divine court gathered around Yahweh who is King (see Ps. 103:20\u201321<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, the psalmist doesn\u2019t simply worship toward heaven and the heavenly host; he also worships facing the Jerusalem temple, or in the temple facing the Most Holy Place, because there is where the presence and the name of God dwell on earth (v. 2<\/a>; cf. Dan. 6:10<\/a>). Thus God is to be worshiped as both the transcendent and the immanent King. We now know Him as the God who reigns in glory and who also comes to us in humility and in our humanity in His Son, the ultimate expression of His immanence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Motivations in Worship<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having told us what he does in worship in verses 1\u20132a<\/a>, the psalmist tells us his motives in verses 2b\u20133<\/a>. He praises God for His \u201clovingkindness\u201d (\u201ccovenant-love,\u201d \u201cmercy,\u201d see Ps. 136<\/a>), and His \u201ctruth\u201d (\u201ctrustworthiness\u201d). The psalmist continues: \u201cFor You have magnified Your word above all Your name.\u201d He probably means by this that God\u2019s present revelation surpasses that which we have known of Him in the past and therefore that which we have associated with His name. To put it colloquially, \u201cYou have outdone Yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This magnifying of His Word is seen in verse 3<\/a> in answered prayer: \u201cIn the day when I cried out, \/ You answered me, \/ And made me bold [\u201cset me up\u201d] with strength in my soul.\u201d There is nothing which will expand our understanding of God and give us spiritual vitality like answered prayer. Why then do we not experience more answers? It is simple. Because we don\u2019t pray. As James says, \u201cYou do not have because you do not ask\u201d (James 4:2<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Universal Praise (vv. 4\u20136<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The psalmist shows us his eschatological vision. He sees the universal praise of God, from the greatest, \u201call the kings of the earth\u201d (v. 4<\/a>), to the least, \u201cthe lowly\u201d (v. 6<\/a>). The kings will \u201cpraise You, O LORD, \/ When they hear the words of Your mouth\u201d (v. 4<\/a>). As they submit to Yahweh and His words, so also their kingdoms will join in. As Isaiah says, all the nations will flow to Zion (Is. 2:2<\/a>). Once God\u2019s Son rules there, He will have the nations as His inheritance (Ps. 2:8<\/a>). Their kings and judges are now exhorted: \u201cServe the Lord with fear, \/ And rejoice with trembling. \/ Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, \/ And you perish in the way\u201d (Ps. 2:11\u201312<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only will the kings praise God for His Word, they will also \u201csing of the ways of the LORD\u201d (v. 5<\/a>). The reason for this is that the \u201cglory of the LORD\u201d is \u201cgreat.\u201d His glory, however, is not merely seen as kings worship Him. Although He is \u201con high,\u201d at the same time, \u201cHe regards the lowly.\u201d He incorporates them into His kingdom, because, in their brokenness, they are closer to Him than the \u201cproud\u201d who \u201cHe knows from afar\u201d (v. 6<\/a>), that is, to whom He is distant. Here is the universality of our God. He is great enough for kings and lowly enough for the poor and abased. He is the mighty Warrior who comes with His arm ruling for Him, but He is also the tender shepherd, carrying His little lambs in His bosom (Is. 40:10\u201311<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When God acts, all the nations and their peoples, from the greatest to the least, will join in the psalmist\u2019s personal worship expounded in verses 1\u20133<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Divine Protection (vv. 7\u20138<\/a>)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The psalmist moves from His worship of God for His Word (v. 2<\/a>) to the worship of God for His works. First,<\/strong> God revives him, or makes him alive, \u201cin the midst of trouble [\u201cdistress\u201d].\u201d Second,<\/strong> He stretches His \u201chand\u201d out \u201cagainst the wrath\u201d of his \u201cenemies,\u201d and His \u201cright hand\u201d (His power and authority, see Ex. 15:6<\/a>) saves or delivers him (v. 7<\/a>). Third,<\/strong> God perfects or completes \u201cthat which concerns\u201d him, as His \u201cmercy [\u201ccovenant-love\u201d; see v. 2<\/a>] endures forever.\u201d A final<\/strong> plea concludes the psalm: \u201cDo not forsake the works of Your hands\u201d (v. 8<\/a>). This is probably a reference to Israel as God\u2019s creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God is to be worshiped because He renews us and delivers us amid our troubles from our enemies. He also completes His work in us, because He is true to His covenant-love, which lasts for all eternity. What should draw us into public worship? Why should we praise God with our whole heart (v. 1<\/a>) before His angels and in His temple? The answer is clear. God is God. He keeps His covenant. His Word is magnified as He answers our prayers. All the nations will worship Him. In the meantime, He works on our behalf. He delivers us from our enemies and completes His work in us. As Paul tells the Philippians: \u201cbeing confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ\u201d (Phil. 1:6<\/a>). Here is answer enough to the question: \u201cWhy worship?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep Learning with the Preacher\u2019s Commentary Series<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There is plenty of more content like this in the Preacher\u2019s Commentary<\/a>. Based on the New King James Bible, this commentary provides introductions and outlines for each book of the Bible, followed by expositions of each passage. Visit our store<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
THE PREACHER’S COMMENTARY<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Bible is unique in that it comes complete with its own songbook\u2014the Psalms. Not only are the Psalms songs that we can sing to God, but they also instruct us on what our worship should consist of and why we should do it in the first place. 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