Ascribe To The Lord

Psalm 96
Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
    tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
    he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering, and come into his courts!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
    tremble before him, all the earth!

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
    Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
    he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
    let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord, for he comes,
    for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
    and the peoples in his faithfulness.

O Great and Glorious Adonai, So Hallowed is Your Name!  I’m having trouble putting into words all that happens inside of me when I read this Psalm.  It is like an ocean wild with waves, a painter’s giant canvas chaotic with color, an orchestra that blasts fortissimo with every instrument, an arena stuffed to the gills of people cheering and celebrating together something spectacular they just witnessed.  All these things happen in me when I read this Psalm.  

I long to hear the earth sing a new song to You, El Elyon, and join in with it, because there’s nothing better to do with our time!

I long to tell of Your salvation from day to day because this world is so full of despair and needs to know You are THE solution.

I long to publish (as the NLT says) Your glory among the nations and Your marvelous works among all the peoples, because if we would be more aware of Your glory and marvel at Your works, our hearts would be flooded with light.  And O how that would change the landscape of the nations!

O King!  O Righteous and Holy One!  So, so many people are imprisoned by the worship of false gods!  But You are the One, the ONLY One, to be revered and praised!  Indeed, it is true, false gods are utterly worthless… like eating dead autumn leaves that are one step away from becoming compost.  How horrible to sit through that meal over a royal feast at the King’s table.

O El Shaddai, You made this universe!  It was You!  Splendor and majesty, strength and beauty!  So Hallowed Be Your Name.  So Hallowed.  Your glory overwhelms me, my knees buckle, … I’m face down at the foot of Your majestic and beautiful throne.  Oh who am I that You would be mindful of me? (Psalm 8:4)

Ascribe to the Lord!
Credit to the Lord! 
Attribute to the Lord!
Recognize that El-Elyon is the source of all glory and all strength.

Wonder of wonders, O Majestic King, You invite us into Your courts, You welcome our gifts to You, even though You own the cattle on a thousand hills. (Psalm 50:10)

That You extend these astounding invitations to us causes us to tremble in awe, as the splendor of Your holiness surrounds us and consumes us, fills us and flattens us.  

O Wondrous Adonai, You reign!  Firmly in Your capable and good grasp, this world is secure, unshakeable for as along as You deem it to be.  And You are the very source of justice, no crime shall go unpunished, whether rich or poor, slave or free, privileged or lowly, the full spectrum of every race that has walked this earth…. everyone is equal in Your courtroom.  You cannot be bought, You will not be swayed from the straight path of pure righteousness by any scheming behind closed doors.  Pure and holy is Your law, designed for our flourishing and joy.  

Let.  
The Sea.  
Roar.

(Can you see it, dear one?)

Dolphins, whales, otters, leaping and laughing!  
Waves rising high and crashing down!  
Wind racing across the surface of the deep!

The fields, full of abundant crop to feed so many, dance and bend as they reach up, closer and closer to their Cultivator, Who is Wisdom and Truth, as they grow and produce. 

In response to these, 
the trees sing, 
Celebrating the advent of their Mighty Forester, Who decided where each one of them would set its roots, and Who is coming back someday to reign supreme over all things, as Jehovah Shalom.  For with You on the throne, there is peace on all sides of Your kingdom, for none can contend with You and win.

O King, O Bright Morning Star, Alpha and Omega, it is in You that we live and move and have our being.  (Acts 17:28)  And You have granted us the tremendous gift of a true relationship with You, through the voluntary sacrifice You made in our place.  It was our death to die, but You substituted Your Self in our place.  

When that day comes that every knee will bow before You, all those voices raised in worship of You?  …Still that will not be enough, not adequate enough, to give You the glory You deserve.  Every square micro-millimeter of this Universe belongs to You.  

Worthy, O worthy, is the Lamb Who Was Slain.

You are awesome. 
Mighty.
Eternal.
Wholly other.
Unchanging.
So worthy of praise.

The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.