Why Worship

Ps. 95:1-2

"O Come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!"

The psalms repeatedly state that Lord is to be praised in song and with a heart of thanksgiving. In my reading today the psalmist reveals many reasons why.

• 95:3- "For the Lord is a great God, and a great Kings above all gods." He is singularly great and singularly God. He is the only God among ineffective and lesser gods.
• 95:4-"In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are His also. The sea is His, for He made it..." He is the Creator of all life.
• 95:7 "For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." He is the God who chose us to be His sheep. We dwell in His pasture, and are cared for by His hand. We praise Him because He is a good who is personally involved with His own.
• 97:1 "The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice..." God reigns. He is the sovereign controller of all. His purpose and plan controls all life.
• 97:6 "The heavens proclaim His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory." Nature worships God as well. His being, righteousness,and glory are obvious to all men.
• 97:10 "He preserves the lives of His saints; He delivers them from the hand of the wicked." His hand of protection is life sustaining for those who love him.
• 97:12 "Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to His holy name." He is holy, without blemish or sin. He alone is worthy of praise!
• 98:1 "Sing to the Lord a new son, for He has done marvelous things."  The works of His hand are wondrous, marvelous to behold. He has made known His salvation, His righteousness, His steadfast love and His faithfulness.
• 98:9 "He will judge the world with righteousness,and the peoples with equity." His own can rest in the fact that His righteousness and equity will ultimately judge the actions of mankind. It will not be done capriciously.
• 99:3 "Let them praise Your great and awesome name! Holy is He!" His name alone is worthy of praise because it is synonymous with His holiness.
• 99:8 "O Lord our God, You answered them; You were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings." Just as God answered and forgave Israel, He will do the same with us. He is just in all his dealings.

What should be my final response? "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!" (99:9)

Lord,

I praise Your name, Your holiness, and even Your judgment. I praise You for choosing me to be one of Your own sheep, a sheep who knows You by name.

In Jesus name,

Amen