Thursday, July 16, 2020

Psalms for worship, prayer, and praise


I'm risking the nickname of "Captain Obvious" here, but probably the most obvious thing to note about the Psalms as we lay the foundation for our upcoming studies is that they are expressions of worship and praise. Even though the term "worship" is not used all that much in the psalms, there are a number of words in the Hebrew that point that way.

It's well for us that we find the whole spectrum of human emotion in the Psalms. From the thrill of praise to sobs of desperation, the heights and depths or what we feel are in this Book. Whatever state of mind we find ourselves in, the Psalms can help us put words to feelings that may be difficult to express. In some of them, the author may even seem to be complaining to God -- that's an expression of how God's people can feel sometimes, living in a difficult world. God can use these outpourings of despair or depression to lead a troubled believer to a new sense of confidence in His grace. And as we renew our faith and confidence, we can find psalms that speak to our joy and renewed hope, as well.

Many believers utilize the Psalms in their private worship, but the Psalms were actually compiled to be used in public worship. The experience which inspired the poetry and music may have been very personal in nature, but the psalm itself was included in the group, or Psalter, so that it could add to corporate praise and worship.  The psalmist may very well have looked up at the skies filled with stars and marveled that the God Who made and holds the cosmos actually cares for men and women here on this earth!

After telling us all about himself in the psalm, the author almost fades into the background; the writer becomes anonymous. It's ok for us to know all the details and for us to hear the sadness or the joy. The language draws us in and allows us to sorrow or to praise, each in our own way, speaking from our hearts to our Father God. As I was thinking about this, I thought about how this is a good concept for us to be reminded of . . . do we have responsibilities to lead in worship? Do we sing in a choir or a small ensemble? Are we called upon to pray in a group setting? 
Our intentions may be good, but it's easy to allow the spotlight to shine on us and our experiences instead of on God and His goodness. We need to pray to be less conscious of ourselves and more conscious of Him. He is the object (and the audience) of our worship and praise.

I'm going to be Captain Obvious again, and say that the psalms are not only for worship, but they are also prayers. In fact, they are called prayers in Psalm 72:
 The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended. (Psalm 72:20) 
The congregation of the Israelites would sing and pray the psalms, and in our public or our private worship today, it could be a beneficial thing for us to do, as well. 

Lastly, the psalms are praise to God. Praise is more than saying "thanks!" Praise elevates the One Who is praised; it's spontaneous and free; it's joyful instead of dutiful. It shows that we are thinking of God, and not about ourselves. We praise Him because we realize He is both concerned with and involved in our everyday experiences. If things are going well, we have a tendency to believe that it's because of us -- our skills, our hard work, etc. If things are not going well, we feel it is because we did something wrong. One of the things that I find wonderful about Israel's worship is that they were so aware of God's hand in their lives. They let loose with joyful praise when they saw Him act on their behalf. Their laments came when they were puzzled by His apparent absence, or at least a delay before He acted to resolve their trouble.

Do we truly worship and praise God today? Or do we just toss around a trite phrase or two? Do we truly contemplate and then express our joy? Perhaps a good way for us to worship is to use the words of the psalms. The psalms touch our hearts and shout or whisper with the same emotions that we feel or have felt in the past. Yes, I said emotions. Are we guilty of an intellectual Christianity? Do we feel embarrassed to show emotion about our faith? Do we look around to see if anyone is looking before we raise our hands to God? Or before we fall to our knees in awe? Are we furtively wiping away a tear of wonder and joy? I truly believe that if unbelievers see true emotion in us, they may find our faith more believable, and more compelling. I am "turned off" as so many are, by what appears excessive, showy, or insincere. But when talking with a friend, I'm touched when their voice trembles and their eyes well up with tears as they speak about what God has done for them.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:5)
The Word commands us to worship the Lord our God with our whole being!
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  (Mark 12:30)
If we are uncomfortable with others seeing us worship; if we are not comfortable with others knowing that we praise and worship our God, then perhaps it is time for us to allow our emotions to show. Even those of us who are truly saved may find ourselves deficient in this; perhaps we need to spend some time in prayer and ask the Spirit to make us bold enough to truly show our faith and our emotions to others. 
God is active in this world and in our lives. Are we stirred by what moves Him? Do we rejoice openly in the triumph of good? Do we grieve at the evil in our world? When our relationship with Him is personal and real, we will worship Him:
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
I'm praying that our studies in the book of Psalms will lead us to deeper and more fervent worship, and to joyful praise, as well.

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