Caught up in Worship
TRANSLATION
(1) Yahweh reigns! He is robed in majesty. Yahweh is robed. He has girded himself with strength. Surely the world is established. It will not be shaken. (2) Your throne is established from of old. You (are) from everlasting. (3) The streams have lifted up, Yahweh, the streams have lifted up their voice. The streams have lifted up their pounding waves. (4) More majestic than the sound of many waters, than the breakers of the sea, Yahweh on high is majestic. (5) Your testimonies are utterly trustworthy. Holiness adorns your house, Yahweh, for endless days.
OBSERVATIONS
This is the first of several “enthronement” psalms, marked by the phrase, “Yahweh reigns!” The name, “Yahweh,” was used five times in these five verses, focusing our attention on his magnificent person. “Robed” occurred twice to emphasize Yahweh’s majesty (vs. 1). “Established” is also found twice, first referring to the world and then to Yahweh’s throne (vss. 1 & 2).
The threefold cadence of “the streams have lifted up” (vs. 3) gives a rhythm and beauty to the worship of Yahweh who is more “majestic” (repeated from vs. 1 and used twice in vs. 4) than the most awe-inspiring feature of our planet, namely the size and power of the oceans which cover almost three quarters of earth’s surface. Three great attributes of God were emphasized in the final verse of the psalm: his faithfulness, his holiness, and his eternality (vs. 5).
OUTLINE
Yahweh is
– majestic in strength. (1)
– majestic eternally. (2)
– more majestic than earth’s oceans. (3 & 4)
– majestic in his attributes. (5)
IDEA STATEMENT
Because of the majesty and eternality of his person and works, Yahweh is worthy of our highest praise.
APPLICATION
To worship God is to be caught up in and fully captivated by his glory and greatness. We can never adequately grasp all that there is to know and appreciate about Yahweh’s person and works. So often in our corporate worship we are distracted by the details of what we are doing. We ask questions like, “What comes next? How did it sound? Am I pronouncing that word correctly? What will others think?” Occasionally, we rise above such mundane issues. Forgetting all the details, we become absorbed in the wonder and glory of the One whom we are seeking to honor.
Athletes sometimes talk about being in “the zone” where everything their bodies are sensing, the mechanics of their movements, the cheering crowds, the other athletes competing, fades into the background and, for the moment, the only thing that matters is the thrill of excelling in what they have trained for years to accomplish. Good musicians report having the same experience. Instead of worrying about technique or performance or notes on the page, they lose themselves and actually “become” the music, portraying its beauty and dynamic in an unforgettable rendition.
The worship of heaven will doubtless be like that. There will be no sense of self, no distractions, no preoccupation with the details of getting it right. We will be caught up in the moment, in the glory, the beauty, the majesty of Yahweh whom we love and adore. While this can happen on earth in fleeting moments of ravishing delight, it will be the uninterrupted experience of those who worship our glorious Savior face to face. Spending time meditating on Psalm 93 can encourage our hearts to focus on God alone. Setting distractions aside, we become increasingly capable of concentrating on his majesty and his greatness, allowing him to captivate our hearts completely with his glorious splendor.