A PRAYER OF PRAISE
We have considered to whom we pray, now let’s think about why we pray. It is natural for many of us to call out to God when we need something. While it is certainly okay to ask God for help or even something we need, it should not be the only time we pray to God. God does invites us to come to Him with our requests and prayers. However, we need to consider what God wants. In the Model Prayer, Jesus tells us to petition for God’s name to be honored as holy. We are to bring our requests to Him and seek an answer that brings honor and glory to God. Our prayers should be driven by the desire to honor God and in everything we say and do.
Read Matthew 6:9b; Psalm 96:1-3
The second part of Matthew 6:9b states- “Your name be honored as holy”. This is Jesus’ instruction for us to honor our Father. The honor we give Him cannot be something that’s contrived or produced out of obligation or ritual. It’s something that we sincerely want to do. Our desire to honor Him inspires us to praise Him. While we know the prayer that Jesus shared with us as the Lord’s Prayer, it may be best to call it the Model Prayer. Both are very good names. However, Jesus intended for us to use it as a guide or model when we pray. Jesus was telling us how to acknowledge God as Father when we begin to talk with Him. How we approach our Father makes more of a difference than we may realize at first. When we honor God at the outset of our prayer, we’re more settled in His presence. Coming into His presence matters more than making sure that He hears about our needs- since He already knows our needs.
Psalm 96 is for royalty. It should start with timpani (kettledrum) and end with a trumpet. This enthronement psalms (93; 95-99) calls the people to praise God (verses 1-3, 7-10a, 11-12a) and gives reasons why God is worthy of praise (verses 4-6, 10b, 12b-13). Taken together these moves “describe the nature and consequences of God’s rule.” God’s reign gets spectators involved and awakens sleepers. No wonder the Psalm brims with imperatives: three times we are told to sing, and after that to bless, tell, declare, ascribe and worship. This Psalm is motivational. It moves people to proclaim God’s mercy and might. It offers insights into how to honor the Lord as holy when we pray.
In Part 1 (verses 1-3) God’s people get their marching orders. First, we are to “sing a new song” (verse 1). But what exactly is that new song? The preacher can well ask what song his or her congregation is given to sing. The Psalm leaves that pretty open ended. It could be Psalm 96 itself, or some brand new composition. It might be a response to some event in the story of God’s people, such as “the return of the exiles from Babylonian captivity” or something that has happened in your congregation or community. It could be a song looking toward the future, or one that combines past, present and future.2
After three calls to sing, the Psalm moves to another imperative: the call to bless God’s name (verse 2). Of course, God does not need our blessing. But in worship, to bless God is to tell of God’s saving deeds…to extol God’s mercy, might and compassion. Ancient worshippers in the Temple used Psalm 96 (and others like it) to bless God, and they may also have knelt and lifted up their hands. Worship is between the worshipper and God, yet it moves outward with another imperative: we are to tell others of God’s salvation. This is not just preaching to the choir, but to all the world. The Psalmist says we are to declare God’s glory “among the nations” God’s marvelous works “to all the people.” So, Psalm 96 has been called a “missionary psalm.”
Because He has saved us, glorifying Him always remains our primary passion. To glorify Him implies that we cast the light on Him and call attention to His name and the meaning in our lives. When we declare His glory to others (v.3), we eagerly put the light on God so they will turn to Him. Our eagerness to declare His glory knows no boundaries. We want to proclaim His name to every people group and every nation in the world. As we eagerly sing the song of praise to Him, we want the whole world to hear the good news of His salvation.
Read Psalm 96:4-6
Part 2 (verses 4-6) tells why God is to be praised. God is great above the heavens. But down here on earth where there are many gods, the one true God outshines them all. The Psalmist dismisses those other gods-with-a-small-‘g’- as mere idols. They are things we made up, in contrast to the creator who made us, and the heavens (verse 5). We praise God as Creator, and we also praise God’s character.
For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised (v. 4). He is no petty deity, presiding, as the heathen imagined their gods to do, over some one nation, or one department of nature. Jehovah is great in power and dominion, great in mind and act; nothing mean or narrow can be found in him or his acts, in all things he is infinite. Praise should be proportionate to its object, therefore let it be infinite when rendered unto the Lord. We cannot praise him too much, too often, too zealously, too carefully, too joyfully. He deserves that nothing in his worship should be little, but all the honor rendered unto him should be given in largeness of heart, with the utmost zeal for his glory.
He is to be feared above all gods (v. 4). Other gods have been worshipped at great cost, and with much fervor, by their blinded rotaries, but Jehovah should be adored with far greater reverence. Even if the graven images had been gods they could not have borne comparison for an instant with the God of Israel, and therefore his worship, should be far more zealous than any which has been rendered to them. He is to be feared, for there is cause to fear. Dread of other gods is mere superstition, awe of the Lord is pure religion. Holy fear is the beginning of the graces, and yet it is the accompaniment of their highest range. Fear of God is the blush upon the face of holiness enhancing its beauty.
For all the gods of the nations are idols (v. 5). Mere images of wood and stone, vanities, nothings. But the Lord made the heavens. The reality of his Godhead is proved by his works, and foremost among these the psalmist mentions that matchless piece of architecture which casts its arch over every man’s head, whose lamps are the light of all mankind, whose rains and dew fall upon the fields of every people, and whence the Lord in voice of thunder is heard speaking to every creature. The idol gods have no existence, but our God is the author of all existences; they are mere earthly vanities, while he is not only heavenly, but made the heavens. This is mentioned as an argument for Jehovah’s universal praise. Who can be worshipped but he? Since none can rival him, let him be adored alone.
Perhaps the most famous description of God’s character appears in Psalm 103:8 (and elsewhere): God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” The description of God’s character found in Psalm 96: 6 has a different emphasis: God’s “honor and majesty are before Him, his strength and beauty fill the sanctuary.” This points to God’s sovereignty and holiness, an important theme in scripture though often neglected today. Honor and majesty are before him. (v. 6). Men can but mimic these things; their pompous pageants are but the pretense of greatness. Honor and majesty are with him and with him alone. In the presence of Jehovah real glory and sovereignty abide, as constant attendants.
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. In him are combined all that is mighty and lovely, powerful and resplendent. We have seen rugged strength devoid of beauty, we have also seen elegance without strength; the union of the two is greatly to be admired. Do we desire to see the “sublime and beautiful” at one glance? Then we must look to the eternal throne. In the Chronicles we read strength and gladness; and the two renderings do not disagree in sense, for in the highest degree in this instance it is true that “a thing of beauty is a joy forever.”
Read Psalm 96:7-9
Part 3 (verses 7-10) returns to the imperative mood once more, in a worship setting. Three times we are told to ascribe to glory to God. To “ascribe” is to name a quality that belongs to a person or thing. To a deer we ascribe speed and grace and to an artist or composer we ascribe creative genius. To God we ascribe glory and strength — especially when looking at creation. To express our gratitude and dependence on God, we are told to bring an offering, come into God’s courts (verse 8) worship the Lord, and tremble before God (verse 9). In verse 10 (not included in the lectionary) we are to say to the nations that the Lord is King.
Ascribe to the Lord, used in the same triple manner. This is after the manner of those poets whose flaming sonnets have best won the ear of, the people, they reiterate choice words till they penetrate the soul and fire the heart. The invocation of the sweet singer is still addressed to all mankind, to whom he speaks as Ye kindreds of the people. Divided into tribes and families, we are called in our courses and order to appear before him and ascribe to him all honor. “All worship be to God only,” is the motto of one of our City companies, and it may well be the motto of all the families upon earth. Family worship is peculiarly pleasing unto him who is the God of all the families of Israel. Give unto the LORD glory and strength, that is to say, recognize the glory and power of Jehovah, and ascribe them unto him in your solemn hymns.
Bring an offering and come into his courts. Come with an un-bloody sacrifice; atonement for sin having been made, it only remains to bring thank offerings, and let not these be forgotten. To him who gives us all, we ought gladly to give our grateful tithe. When assembling for public worship we should make a point of bringing with us a contribution to his cause, according to that ancient word, “None of you shall appear before me empty.” The time will come when from all ranks and nations the Lord will receive gifts when they gather together for his worship. 0 long expected day begin! This is language taken from the temple worship, and means that God is to be worshipped, in the manner which he has prescribed, as a suitable expression of his majesty.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. This is the only beauty which he cares for in our public services, and it is one for which no other can compensate. Beauty of architecture and apparel he does not regard; moral and spiritual beauty is that in which his soul delights. Worship must not be rendered to God in a slovenly, sinful, superficial manner; we must be reverent, sincere, earnest, and pure in heart both in our prayers and praises. Purity is the white linen of the Lord’s choristers, righteousness is the comely garment of his priests, holiness is the royal apparel of his servants. Fear before him, all the earth. “Tremble” is the word in the original, and it expresses the profoundest awe, just as the word “worship” does, which would be more accurately translated by “bow down.” Even the bodily frame would be moved to trembling and prostration if men were thoroughly conscious of the power and glory of Jehovah. We should enjoy the privilege of knowing Him intimately as our Father. Then all of our prayers will be “A Prayer of Praise”.
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