Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, LORD. Psalm 89:15
Acclaim, praise, worship are of great value for they enable us to walk in the light of God’s presence where there is joy.
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11
When you don’t feel like it…worship Jesus In moments of pain, In moments of fear and anxiety. In moments of shame, In moments of loneliness, In moments of strife. Learn to worship and be in His presence, in all the moments of life.
Jesus forgives me, When I can’t forgive myself. He redeems me when I feel unredeemable. The Lord lights my life with His mercy, When all I deserve is the darkness of my ungodliness. Only by faith can I accept God’s grace and mercy. Which He holds out for me to receive. For the Lord rejoices over my redemption,
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. Isaiah 59:1
Nothing is impossible for God. The Lord guides my steps into righteousness, Even when I can’t see because of my shame, Jesus will rescue me from all my enemies, even when I am the enemy.
Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things; His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. Psalm 98:1
I fall at the feet of Jesus for He has done great things for me. His glory brighter than the sun. His mercy greater than all my shame, His righteousness surrounds me, His love breaks the strongest chains, His faithfulness never fails, His power and goodness are everlasting and will never diminish. His love is better than life, His love gives life to my life.
Ascribe to the Lord, O mighty ones, Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness. Psalm 29:1
In these distressing times of the corona virus pandemic there is one vital issue that demands a decision—whether to bow down in worship before the Lord our maker.
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 95:6-7
For when we truly kneel our life before the Lord, then we acknowledge He is our God and entrust everything to Him. We love the Shepherd because He loves us, and we need not worry because He knows the way.
Hasten, O God, to save me; O Lord, come quickly to help me. Psalm 70:1
The circumstances for this psalm must have been very dire. The psalmist needs help quickly for he is under attack and will soon lose his life.
May those who seek my life be put to shame and confusion; Psalm 70:2
Here the psalm takes a surprising turn.
But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “Let God be exalted!” Psalm 70:4
Always say: “Let God be exalted!” These are not as some magical words that will force God to intervene miraculously. These are words of worship that knock our troubles and circumstances out of preeminence in our life… and put God on the throne. Worship changes us, reassures us, moves our focus from what we are praying about to God.
The psalm ends with the troubles still bearing down.
Yet I am poor and needy;
come quickly to me, O God.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O Lord, do not delay. Psalm 70:5
What is different is the psalmist—“Let God be exalted” in me.
Sometimes at church I can’t see the forest (worship of God) for the trees (my mistakes). I feel and act like I am in the old covenant. In the Old Testament, worship had to be done perfect, or the sacrifice was worthless.
Sunday we gathered and the mistakes began to mount. A worship song was sung too high for me and I could not sing without squeaking. I had trouble handling the communion elements (I am clumsy with a little tremor). Someone’s cell phone buzzed. My mind frequently drifted, but Jesus, the New Covenant sacrifice, covered all the short comings, elevating all of us to perfection in worship allowing the Holy Spirit to move in a mighty way.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Luke 3:22
The worship was made perfect and acceptable to God, for in Jesus we are made holy and pleasing.
Stephen L Hufman 