A Posture Of Praise::Psalm 95:6-7
May 27th, 2006
Dave Mertz
“Come let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.”–Psalm 95:6-7
Posture paints a picture. I was challenged and encouraged by the posture of the Forgiving Father in the story of the Prodigal son. He stood with arms open wide, looking hopefully over the horizon, waiting and watching for his wayward son to return. His posture revealed the longing in his heart to be close to his son again.
In Psalm 95, the tables are turned. I concern myself with my posture and, more importantly, the condition of my heart. Praise starts with the heart, humbly recognizing, with proper perspective, who He is.
HE IS.
HE IS GOD.
“HE IS OUR GOD.” (v. 7)
HE is the Shepherd. He leads. He feeds. We are the sheep. We need Him. We are His people.
Worship not only recognizes and praises Him for who He is and what He has done (and is doing and will do), but it also brings a better perspective of who I am. As His greatness, goodness and GOD-ness is reckoned with, my frailty is exposed and my need for a Shepherd to save me and guard me and guide me is accentuated.
It is impossible for tainted and fractured man to stand with stiff-necked, puffed-up pride before a pure and holy God. If I am truly seeing God for who He is, then my response will be to kneel and bow before Him in reverence, adoration and humility.
Lord, I know that I can stand and praise you, singing and shouting to You with great joy, because You are the great King above all. But I can also kneel and bow before You, in humble adoration. May my posture reveal the longing in my heart to be close to my Father again.