Sing Praise to the Lord - Part IX
“Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent… He makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind… He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved. You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.” ~Psalm 104:1–6
The weekend after Thanksgiving often marks the time when families put up their Christmas decorations. Those of you who’ve been out shopping recently have undoubtedly discovered that retail stores are way ahead of us already! If you haven’t dusted off your Christmas bins yet, consider this your one-week warning.
Why do we put all the time and energy into setting up a tree, hanging lights, and stringing popcorn together each year, just for a month or so? It’s because deep down we know there’s something significant about “dressing up” appropriately. We want our homes to wear the clothing of Christmas. We delight in seeing our family rooms aglow with reminders of how special this season truly is.
Our Hymn of Praise for this Lord’s Day, “O Worship the King” (2), does just that: it “decorates” our King with all the splendor He deserves. Referred to as “one of the six finest hymns in the English language,” it uses metaphoric language to “dress God up” in the clothing of a King.
Notice first how this hymn reminds us of God’s abundant kindness toward us, in language sprinkled throughout the verses: “O sing of His grace… Thy bountiful care… Thy mercies how tender… O measureless might, ineffable love…” And on and on it goes. This hymn offers a grand catalogue of God’s benevolence toward us. When we sing this Sunday, consider carefully how each one of these realities is true for you.
This hymn also reminds us of the Creator-creature distinction. Sometimes we are tempted to think that God is just a big version of a perfect man. This can lead us to believe that if we were God, we might do things a little differently — a little better, perhaps. But this hymn reminds us that He is “all glorious above… pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise,” whereas we are “frail children of dust, and feeble as frail” who can only “lisp to [His] praise.” Don’t you need a daily reminder of your utter dependence upon God’s mercy? I know I do, otherwise I start to trust in myself, or I begin to wonder if God has failed. Rather, this hymn encourages me to pray: “In You do [I] trust, nor find You to fail.”
Lastly, God’s care for us far outstrips our ability to praise Him! Look at verse 4: “Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?” Why? Because “it breathes in the air; it shines in the light… and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.” When was the last time you worshiped because of the dew? When was the last time you praised God for the air? Dear brothers and sisters, have we forgotten that every single little thing ought to fill our hearts with gratefulness?
This Lord’s Day, let’s worship the King together by “singing of His power and His love,” for not only is He our Creator, He is also our Redeemer and Friend.
Rev. Kyle Lockhart, Associate Pastor