Heart of Worship

Reflections on Psalm 33 - part one

The message of Psalm 33 could simply be summarised as the “heart of worship”. A term that many of us may be familiar with, but what is the heart of worship exactly? We could impart any number of sensational definitions based on our own ‘hearts’, but this is not referring to our heart, this is referring to the heart of worship. This heart, as we see in Psalm 33, is one that displays worship as a faith response directed toward God based on who he is and what He has done.  This is rather enlightening, since it helps us see that worship is not motivated by the way we feel (our emotional state of being) but about the right response to the absolute majesty of our God.
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Consider the opening stanza. The Psalmist doesn’t wait for some pivotal emotive moment but simply says that praise to God is the most fitting and beautiful thing to do.  Just as every key is made to fit a particular lock, with its shape and edges corresponding with the locks inner mechanism, so joyful praise fits perfectly as the most appropriate response to the wonder of God; it is the fitting response to who God is and what He has done.

​Of course, as we see and understand who God is we may become overwhelmed with emotion and thanks. After recognising who the LORD is and what He has done the entire being of the worshipper should be engulfed in praise. But the motivation is not emotion.

The motivation is the never changing, most holy and perfect creator, sustainer, almighty God and savior. The emotion is the response, or rather a most delightful privilege. O what a grace that we would enjoy God’s praise. The privilege that worship is not only reasonable but it is most enjoyable, so that we might also experience such a sensation of grace, translating what is objectively true and right and holy into a fantastic and captivating subjective reality. ​

This stands to reason when considering that the worshipper is the one who is found “in the LORD”, the “righteous” and the “upright.”  These together mean that the worshipper has a relationship with the LORD.  They are the righteous and upright because of the LORD’s doing.  They are in union with the LORD because of His intervention through rescue. The reality of who the LORD is is brought most intimately close, that one might be found in the other.

“Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts” (Psm.33:1-3).