January 28th, 2016

This is another piece in my series about The Psalms. I just can't stop myself!

This Psalm is true worship.  And I just finished "Teaching Kids Authentic Worship" by Kathleen Chapman. It gives beautiful insight into this rather cryptic idea of "worship" that is often discussed -- but less often understood.

First, she says, worship is about God. Only God. Nothing else. There are no "me's" or "I's" in worship. Only God. You spend time naming God, praising God, revealing in God's greatness. Yet you never mention yourself or your needs or your plans.

Chapman's main idea is that true worship creates a relationship with God that goes above and beyond anything we could imagine.

The Psalmist understood this at a level few of us in this world today can understand.

Yet we can catch glimpses. And in those glimpses, we see the glory.

May we all spend more time reveling in that beautiful power.

Psalm 149 (EXB)

Praise the Lord!
Sing a new song to the Lord;
sing his praise in the meeting of his people.
Let the Israelites be happy because of God, their Maker.
Let the people of Jerusalem rejoice because of their King.
They should praise him with dancing.
They should sing praises to him with tambourines and harps.
The Lord is pleased with his people;
he saves the humble.
Let those who worship him rejoice in his glory.
Let them sing for joy even in bed!
Let them shout his praise with their two-edged swords in their hands.
They will punish the nations
and defeat the people.
They will put those kings in chains
and those important men in iron bands.
They will punish them as God has written.
God is honored by ·all who worship him.

Praise the Lord!