Songs We Sing: "this Is Amazing Grace" Series

Psalm 24 definitely helps us understand and focus on worship. What I mean by this is that Psalm 24 is full of good solid direction for our souls in terms of humbleness and reverence in our minds and hearts as we think about God, the King of glory. When God is our focus, we cannot go wrong in worship.

VERSES 1-2

In verses 1-2, the Psalm begins by praising God for Who He is. He is the Creator of everything that we see and Master of the physical realm and the spiritual realm. He is the founder of the whole world and filled it with creatures and people all of which came from His imagination and will. When we realize our place before God and bow before the Lord our Maker, we are at the beginning of worship. Acknowledging our place below God and in reverence to God as our Creator is worship. Acknowledging His power is worship. I think of some of the lyrics from ‘This is Amazing Grace’ which reflect on His nature as the Creator:

LYRICS:

“Who shakes the whole earth with holy thunder? And leaves us breathless in awe and wonder? The King of glory, the King above all kings.”

VERSES 3-4

Psalm 24 continues in verses 3-4 reflecting on the one who is worshipping the King of glory. Worship is referenced in terms of “ascend[ing] the hill of the Lord” and “stand[ing] in His holy place.” Those two images are meant to invoke worship for us. We who humble ourselves and worship God do so focus on God alone. We ask God for clean hands that we might serve Him and serve others in His Name. We ask God for a pure heart that we might see God clearly and follow His will. We ask God to bend our heart to the truth that we might understand Him. All three of these allow us to worship God in the Spirit and in Truth and show us the seriousness with which we should take worshipping God.

I find it interesting that we started off this morning talking about how “worship” brings to mind “to bow,” but now I am mentioning “ascending a hill” and “standing” also mean “worship.” Hopefully you are catching that worship is not a thing, a song, a practice, or what you do or don’t do with your hands, but a complete focus of our mind, body, emotions, and heart on God in whatever we are doing wherever we happen to be.

In worship, we bow before God and focus all our thoughts and intentions on Him.

In worship, we ascend to where God is concentrating on praise for Him.

In worship, we stand in His presence in awestruck wonder of Him.

VERSES 5-6

The next verses, verses 5-6, are in the center of the Psalm and are so on purpose as there is even a musical term at the end of verse 6 to indicate that we are to sit and ponder these words a little bit.

RE-READ PSALM 24:5-6 (ESV)

He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

The central theme of this Psalm is that we worship God Who blesses us, gives us righteousness, and saves us. Those that seek the face of God find Him. This is a wonderful reality for those that seek God. When we seek Him, we find a God Who blesses, gives, righteousness, and saves.