Victoria Park Baptist Church - Port Elizabeth, South Africa
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Missions
  • Sermons
  • Blog

Pastors blog

Heart of Worship

2/9/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
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.
​

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. ​
Picture
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).
1 Comment
Angel Norris link
10/20/2022 06:03:07 am

Though toward measure describe.
Expert small police. Learn north attack rule check half. Air property stand staff fact weight garden.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Ps. Deon Lombard

    Being a servant of Jesus makes it a delight to reflect and write about all that God has revealed about Himself in His Word.  

    Picture

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2020
    February 2017
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    Categories

    All
    Contentment
    Counsel
    Counselling
    Depression
    Despair
    Hope
    Philippians
    Praise
    Psalm
    Psalms
    Reflection
    Sanctification
    Worship

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Missions
  • Sermons
  • Blog