Devotional for this Sunday’s worship music. Sunday, Feb 28th, 2010
Posted by Rod Hamilton on Feb 24 2010
In the Sanctuary – “We lift our hands in the sanctuary…”
Psalm 63:4 “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.”
The lifting up or raising of hands is an international sign of surrender. When we worship God, we do so not only as a means to extol His virtues but also to declare that we have surrendered our lives into His hands, for His work, and this work is for a lifetime.
“We clap our hands in the sanctuary…”
Psalm 47:1 “Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”
Clapping hands is Biblical, that’s the best reason to support why we do it in the sanctuary. However, if you read and understand Psalm 47 in context, this song was written of the Sons of Korah. (see Korah’s rebellion in Numbers 16) Because of Korah’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron, God caused the ground to open up and swallow “all of the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods.” (v32) Though God, in His sovereignty, could have also taken out the entire lineage of Korah too, He didn’t. Korah’s heirs (the Sons of Korah) went on to be worship leaders in the Tabernacle, placed in charge by King David.(1 Chr. 6:22, 31-32) Don’t miss the picture here; Korah’s Sons (heirs) were saved from the wrath of God – literally from being swallowed up by “Sheoul” (Numbers 16:33) – just as you and I were. It is by the sovereign grace of God that we have been saved, and that is a reason to clap your hands in the Sanctuary!
He’s Worthy– “I bless the God of my salvation, He’s worthy, worthy. The God I serve is great and mighty; He is for me who can be against me?”
Romans 8:28-31 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
If God has indeed predestined you, called you, justified you and is glorifying you, can there be any reason for fearing any enemy which might come against you? He is mighty: mighty enough to save you, mighty enough to defend you and mighty enough to keep you exactly as He wants you and where He wants you. Yes, there might be physical pain in the offering from time to time, but it is all working together for the good as we persevere, to make us “mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:4) God is worthy whether times seem great or whether times seem terrible; He’s at work in us all the time. He’s worthy!
Made Me Glad – “I will bless the Lord forever…”
Psalm 103:2 “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Why wouldn’t we want to bless a God like that forever?! He displayed that kind of blessing for His people by receiving us into His Kingdom and adopting us as His own.
Our Great God – “Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird, let every mountain, every field and valley of the earth, let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe sing praises to the living God Who rules them by His word.”
Psalm 148:1-13
“Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and maidens, old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.”
Colossians tells us, of Jesus, “by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things were created through Him and for Him.” (Col. 1:16) It’s all His, not by proclamation, but by design! God made everything and it all points right back to Him - to a mighty God, a sovereign Creator.
And this weekend, we get to join along with all of creation, worshipping the One Who made us.
How awesome is that?