Pride or praise, part II

Today, we are continuing our study of worship, and looking at the question of ritualism in worship. We noticed yesterday that rituals tend to make us humans think that we deserve some credit - after all, look at what we've done to deserve a pat on the head!

But Asaph, our songwriter in Psalm 50, says that heartfelt worship involves thanksgiving, faithfulness, and dependence on God. Empty ritualism scoots out the door when we apply verses fourteen and fifteen to our daily lives:

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God,

fulfill your vows to the Most High,

and call on me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” (v 14-15)

Asaph is telling us that true worship of our Almighty Father begins with thankfulness and prayer. Thanksgiving acknowledges that God has given us every single blessing BY HIS GRACE. Not because we deserve them!

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10)

To thank Him genuinely, we must be in submission to Him. We must trust Him. Especially if we are thanking Him in the midst of the battlefield. In the midst of trials.

In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  (I Peter 1:6)

We also can't call out to Him in prayer if we are hiding sin in our heart. 

My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes. (Jeremiah 16:17)

Asaph also writes, "pay your vows to the Most High." There are many examples in our Bible of people who made vows to God. Even today, people will get "between a rock and a hard place," and make a promise to God in an effort to be delivered. If we make a vow, or a promise to God, we need to be faithful to keep it!

Lastly, Asaph reminds the people who have slipped into ritualism that they are dependent upon God. That He will deliver, and that we must honor Him.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

his love endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—

those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

those he gathered from the lands,

from east and west, from north and south. (Psalm 107:1-3)

We are finished with the first part of this courtroom drama; the Lord has spoken to those who have allowed their ritualistic worship to cool their relationship with Him. Next, we will hear Him speak to the hypocrites . . .