A GOD WORTHY OF PRAISE

“‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.’ And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, ‘Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. ‘” – Rev. 5:12-13

 

You know, whenever I think of the phrase “Praise the Lord”, I can’t help but to think also of David; that great King who was father of the House that begat our Savior Himself. David was more than just a king, however: he was also a gifted musician and poet, and the author of many, many Psalms – and in every Psalm I’ve ever read, I see David continuously praising the Lord for His blessings, strength, and majesty. “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised…” (II Sam. 22:4 & Psalm 18:3) The Bible tells us that David was a man after God‘s own heart; obviously, this must be true, for it was David who was chosen as the predecessor for our Lord Jesus almost 1,000 years before His birth. Yet when you examine the life of David, you see a man like many others: with a nobility of spirit and strength of character, but with several fatal flaws that inevitably get him into trouble when he allows them to do so.

 

So, what was it that made him so special? What made King David that ‘man after God’s own heart’? Two things, I truly believe: first, his implicit faith in God, and second, his sincere desire to praise and worship Him. For instance: “Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation…the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.” (Psalm 111:1,4);…and: “Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto His name; for it is pleasant.” (Psalm 135:3) David realized – even during his lowest points, when his lusts and misguided judgments nearly destroyed him – that our God is a God worthy of all praise and worship: that all good things flow from Him, and that without the Lord this life is meaningless and without purpose. David understood that his own true strength, honor, glory, and virtue came not from within, but from our Heavenly Father…and Him alone.

 

Despite all his faults, flaws, and failures, David still managed to create a lasting legacy – and more importantly, a place in the lineage of Christ Himself by his trust and love for his Lord. And now let us consider ourselves…because honestly, we have an even greater reason to sing and shout our praises: the redeeming, sanctifying blood of Jesus Christ. “To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace,” (Eph. 1:6-7) We have a Savior who gave Himself to be nailed to a cross, beaten and bloodied, pierced and torn – all to bear our sins upon His shoulders: a priceless sacrifice for an unworthy people.

 

By His stripes we are healed, by His blood we are washed clean of sin, and by His death we are given the opportunity for new and everlasting life. Take these gifts with the numerous blessings which we receive each and every day and you find an incredible, wonderful, and beautiful Savior is who is more than worthy of our praise, more than deserving, more than entitled…in the same way that He is more than enough. When we come into His house, we should be thrilled to be there; we should be joyful that we have another opportunity to worship Him who has given so much for us.  “By Him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” (Heb. 13:15)

 

So, today, let us rejoice in the glorious liberty of Christ which has made us free, and offer our thanks and worship to the Savior who paid the debt He did not owe for the price we could not pay. Thank you, Jesus, for Your mercy and Your grace. Hallelujah to the Lamb!

 

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107:8-9)

Be blessed,

Joshua