Lifting Up our Voices

I have found that so many of the traditional hymns are a great source of meditation and worship. Often in the singing, we miss some of the message. I find reading each verse can bring out a deeper understanding. Many of the modern praise choruses miss the intimate connection between our praises and God’s character. Notice I didn’t say, “... what God has done.” We are not praising Him because of what He has done but praising Him for who He is. The first verse - “O worship the King all-glorious above, O gratefully sing his power and his love: our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days, pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.” We recognize that He is powerful, loving, a fierce defender, eternal, and surrounded with praise. Praise from who? Us? Yes, but also from angels, and God’s own creation. Verse 2 - “O tell of his might and sing of his grace, whose robe is the light, whose canopy space. His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.” As I praise Him, again, it is not just for what He has done, but our praise is declaring who He is. Let us declare to others our mighty God who is gracious and merciful. A picture is also painted of His wrath being compared to a thunderstorm, full of power and unstopable. Verse 3 - “Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.” God is life itself. As He watches over and cares for His creation, He watches over His children as well. Verse 4 - Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, in you do we trust, nor find you to fail. Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end, our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!” Here we see our great dependence on Him. It reminds me of Ash Wednesday as we receive the sign of the cross, in ashes, on our foreheads and hear, “From dust we came. To dust we return”. Note who He is... “our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!” The last verse - “O measureless Might, unchangeable Love, whom angels delight to worship above! Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze, in true adoration shall sing to your praise!” Lift up holy hands to Him. Father, to You be all glory and praise. By Your word, every living thing that we see has been given life by You. Praise God! Amen