Expression

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Let the Worshipers Arise

5^th in a Series

Expression

2 Chronicles 20:13-30

At least 11 different verbs that described active participation in worship:

Hadad- to bend in reference to

Nafal – to prostrate before

Shakah – to fall before or do homage to royalty

Halal – to boast in the Lord

Gadul – to call out in a loud voice

Yadah – to hold out the hand

Renah – to chirp or creak or sing

Tehelah – to sing a hymn

Carach – to kneel

Simkah – to be gleeful

Samach – to brighten up

2 Chronicles 20:4

Faith in God seeks expressions of worship.

Worship is expressed through

1. Mood

a. weeping - Psalm 6:6 I am worn out from groaning; all night long I flood my bed with weeping and drench my couch with tears. ^[1]

b. afraid – Ps 56:3 ³ When I am afraid, I will trust in you.

c. joy – Ps 28:7 My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. ^[2]

d. downcast – Ps 42:11 Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. ^[3]

2. Art

The Art of Worship

The art of language.

Psalm 35:28 ²⁸ My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long. ^[4]

; 40:10; 49:3; 71:24; 119:46; 145:5, 11, 21.

The art of posture (and movement).

28:2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place. ^[5]

47:1 Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. ^[6]

5:7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. ^[7]

30:11 You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, ^[8]

The art of music.

Psalm 150:1-6

¹ Praise the Lord.^a

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

² Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

³ Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre,

⁴ praise him with tambourine and dancing,

praise him with the strings and flute,

⁵ praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.

⁶ Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord. ^[9]

27:6; 33:2; 45:8; 57:7; 81:2; 95:2; 98:4-5; 144:9; 147:7

9:11; 30:4; 33:1,3; 47:6-7; 66:2; 68:4; 105:1-2

The recognition of the art of creation.

Psalm 148

¹ Praise the Lord.^a

Praise the Lord from the heavens,

praise him in the heights above.

² Praise him, all his angels,

praise him, all his heavenly hosts.

³ Praise him, sun and moon,

praise him, all you shining stars.

⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens

and you waters above the skies.

⁵ Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for he commanded and they were created.

⁶ He set them in place for ever and ever;

he gave a decree that will never pass away.

⁷ Praise the Lord from the earth,

you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,

⁸ lightning and hail, snow and clouds,

stormy winds that do his bidding,

⁹ you mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars,

¹⁰ wild animals and all cattle,

small creatures and flying birds,

¹¹ kings of the earth and all nations,

you princes and all rulers on earth,

¹² young men and maidens,

old men and children.

¹³ Let them praise the name of the Lord,

for his name alone is exalted;

his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.

¹⁴ He has raised up for his people a horn,^b

the praise of all his saints,

of Israel, the people close to his heart.

Praise the Lord. ^[10]

3. Truth

Ps 19:7-11

The law of the Lord is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

⁸ The precepts of the Lord are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

⁹ The fear of the Lord is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the Lord are sure

and altogether righteous.

¹⁰ They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

¹¹ By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward. ^[11]

The expression of worship should contextualized by

1. 1. Giftedness (1 Chronicles 15:22)

2. 2. Individual Convictions (Rom 14:5-6)

3. 3. Group participation priorities (1 Cor 14:26-33)

The worshiper of God is called to:

1. 1. Avoid judgment of other biblical worshipers (Rom 14:13)

2. 2. Overcome your barriers of expressing worship to God (2 Sam 6:15-22)

3. 3. Join all creation with meaningful expressions of worship (Luke 19:40)

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^[1] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 6:6.

^[2] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 28:7.

^[3] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 42:11.

^[4] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 35:28.

^[5] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 28:2.

^[6] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 47:1.

^[7] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 5:7.

^[8] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 30:11.

^{a a} Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 6

^[9] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 150:1–6.

^{a a} Hebrew Hallelu Yah; also in verse 14

^{b b} Horn here symbolizes strong one, that is, king.

^[10] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 148:1–14.

^[11] The Holy Bible : New International Version, electronic ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), Ps 19:7–11.