One more observation about worship!
Two weeks ago, I looked at how the apostle Paul integrated the worship of God with the Word of God. Then I followed up by exploring the way the psalms laid the foundation for what Paul promoted.
I found extra verses that dealt with a related subject, so I set them to one side. But I didn’t want to overlook them.
Hence this post!
The verses we’ll consider emphasize the corporate nature of worship. I realize that the fact that we praise the Lord in public isn’t a remarkable revelation. For Christians, it’s a normal part of our commitment to Jesus.
But sometimes routines hide deeper meaning. And we can find it if we take the time to dig in.
The verses are in the NASB. We’ll treat one quote at a time.
“I will proclaim Your name to my brothers; in the midst of the assembly I will praise You.” – Psalm 22:22
This verse has a repetitive structure called a chiasm.
A – I will proclaim Your name
B – to my brothers
B – in the midst of the assembly
A – I will praise You
The whole verse is about communication. In the first and last phrases, the psalmist David vocalizes who the Lord is. In the middle phrases, he points to the listeners.
David treats proclamation and praise as synonyms. While we’re used to seeing them as two distinct aspects of a church service (songs and sermons), David blends them. He doesn’t stress the musical nature of praise, so he might have had stories about God’s faithfulness in mind.
But the context is clear. David wants to share the Lord with the people. He doesn’t seek to keep the truth of God to himself; he has to get the word out!
As we follow Jesus, we’re going to learn from Him. We will experience the working of His Spirit in our lives. And as we do, we get to express His goodness to others. It’s how we glorify our Father!
“I have proclaimed good news of righteousness in the great congregation; behold, I will not restrain my lips, LORD, You know. 10I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your mercy and Your truth from the great congregation.” – Psalm 40:9-10
In these two verses, David alternates between reminding God of two facts. First, he has told people about God’s blessings. Second, he hasn’t kept quiet about them. David announced what he knew!
Now, praise isn’t mentioned, at least not the musical kind. But praise isn’t limited to songs; when we praise the Lord, we’re bragging about Him. That’s what David did, and it’s our joy, too.
The psalmist told as many people as he could. Twice he refers to “the great congregation” which emphasizes a large gathering. News about the Lord isn’t exclusive; it’s for everyone. But it takes believers to be willing to proclaim it to God’s people.
Evangelism is not only for the world; it’s also for the church. Those loyal to Jesus need to hear often about who He is and what He’s doing. And they must also tell others what they’ve discovered.
We are to be givers and receivers of the gospel.
“Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly.” – Psalm 111:1
Here the psalmist focuses on praise. He doesn’t discuss proclamation, but like we said above, praising the Lord is bragging about Him. We can boast about Jesus with lyrics or plain speech. The Lord enjoys both!
The end of the verse presents what looks like two groups of people: a company and an assembly. Since the word for company (sod) emphasizes intimacy, it’s reasonable to view a company as a small group. The assembly, then, would refer to a large gathering.
And as with praise and proclamation, so also with personal and public groups. They’re all good. We can enjoy the Lord’s presence in our fellowship with a few friends or in exuberant crowds. When we gather in the name of Jesus, He’s with us!
“I will pay my vows to the LORD; may it be in the presence of all His people! … 18I will pay my vows to the LORD, may it be in the presence of all His people, 19in the courtyards of the LORD’S house, in the midst of you, Jerusalem! Praise the LORD!” – Psalm 116:14, 18-19
Ancient Israel processed the giving and keeping of vows in the tabernacle and then the temple. Although personal, these promises were never private. They were performed under the guidance of priests who helped God’s people walk in righteousness. There’s a public dimension to our spiritual dedication that’s unavoidable.
That’s why the psalmist longs to fulfill his vows before witnesses. They can testify that he kept his word, and they can also celebrate with him.
When our vows are rooted in Scripture, they will serve us well. When they receive public recognition, they serve our community by honoring God. Again, we don’t have to choose between the two. The Lord links both aspects into a single spiritual exercise.
To summarize, God intends to harmonize worship and the Word in our lives. As He does, we will see that this work has both personal and public developments. Discipleship changes our hearts, and it also changes our relationships. In these ways, Jesus is making us like Himself.
Praise the Lord!
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