Psalm 33:1-12

According to our Church’s scores in two Natural Church Development congregational inventories – a tool that measures church health in eight essential areas – two inventories taken in our church over a period of three years by two completely different sample groups of 30 persons each, our ‘maximum factor’ (i.e., our highest score) both times, has been “Inspiring Worship”.  As I am involved in coaching some other congregations in NCD, and as I talk frequently with other pastors whose churches are becoming involved in this very effective tool for developing  health in churches, I know that Inspiring Worship is frequently the minimum factor (i.e., the lowest) score in many mainline churches, including those in our own Conference. 

One thing that I am careful to try point out to pastors as we talk about this – most of whom, I really believe, are hard working, extremely dedicated, faithful servants of God – is that a low score in Inspiring Worship (or Passionate Spirituality, which tends to be the other lowest score) is not necessarily a reflection of the quality of the Pastoral Leadership in a church. It’s not… (To be fair, I need to point out that the converse is also true, and I know this well: a high score is also not necessarily reflective of the quality of pastoral leadership, either!) In fact, NCD research has proven that pastors – unless there is some glaring deficiency happening – pastors factor into these scores not so much through the quality of their work, per se; but much more so in their ability (or inability) to create, to foster, to encourage, to allow an attitude of expectation and waiting on God to grow among the people of a given congregation. 

In other words, whether the worship services in a congregation are inspiring or not, or whether the spirituality of a congregation is passionate or dull, depends much more on what the congregation itself is ‘bringing to the table’ than on what a pastor is offering … 

So in congregations where Worship or Spirituality are the minimum factors, the CHT starts by asking questions like these: are people here praying people? Is there a sense among this congregation that we are truly going to ‘meet with God’ when we come to worship? Or do we come out of duty? Are there divisions and turf issues in this church? Is the faith of the majority of worshippers here as important to them after they leave this place as it seems to be while they are here? Or is it just a Sunday morning show? The answers to questions like these will either make a pastor “look good”, or go home defeated. 

Now the same thing is true when we look at the other contributing aspects to worship – in fact, those very things that we are celebrating and lifting up in our services this weekend. The musicians, the artists, the dancers, the creative communicators, the actors… just as a pastor personally is not going to make a service ‘inspiring’, neither is a band, or a choir, a dance or drama group; but all of these can contribute in helping to create an atmosphere of expectation and focus on God which will ensure that a service is inspiring and that our spirituality is passionate.  And, I think, that is exactly what has been happening here for quite some time; and this is a strong reason why our church is considered to be a model church in this Annual Conference in the area of Inspiring Worship. 

And it ‘just so happens’ that one of our Lectionary readings for this weekend addresses this very issue. Amazing how that happens so often!  Psalm 33 begins with a call for God’s people to enthusiastically celebrate God’s presence among them. And it uses words which are very appropriate for us in our context here today in celebrating our worship ministries. 

¹ Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. ² Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. ³ Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy! 

Now, that pretty much covers the ‘what’. What are we doing here? “Sing”, it says. “Praise the Lord”, “shout”, the Psalmist writes. Use all the instruments available to you – your voice (singing or shouting, depending on your particular gifts or lack of them!). The harp, the ten-stringed lyre: I’m sure that were this written in 2008 it would include, guitars, drums, pipe organ, hand bells, trumpets, horns, and more. You get the point. 

So God is, in a sense, commanding us to worship him.  Sing to the Lord you righteous.  Who are the righteous? We looked at this last week – the righteous are those who are living by their faith. The righteous are the followers of God in Christ. Our natural language is praise language. So he writes: SING! SHOUT! 

And there are expectations as to how this should take place. Look at the details:  we’re called not just to sing, but to sing joyfully. Sing with joy – whether we are singing in a group, or in a congregation, we are to sing with joy.  Vs. 3: Sing to him a new song.  [As one who constructs worship services, as much as I would love to use this as a proof-text to say that we are required by God to learn new songs, and sing new hymns, not the same ones over and over… that’s not what this is referring to!]  This refers to the new song that God places in our hearts by his own presence.  We all have a new song to sing when God takes residence in our hearts. The sweet, sweet song of salvation! 

Look at this, also from verse 3: play skillfully.  There is sometimes a tension in congregations between skillful playing and heart-felt playing. I’ve heard people talk about preferring a sincere, heart-felt song that lacks polish, over a cold, joyless performance which is technically correct, but ‘soul-less’. Well, that’s an interesting discussion, but apparently a better option is a skillful person who plays, sings, dances, writes, etc., for the Lord with all their heart. Play skillfully. Hone your talents. You’re offering them to the King of kings. 

Now, these are all the “what’s”.  They answer the question, “What shall we do, in response to God’s presence among us? OK… 

The next part of the Psalm answers the “Why” question. Why should we sing joyful, skillful, new songs of praise to God?  The Psalmist lists five reasons for us: 

1. Because of Truth:  ⁴ For [because] the word of the Lord is right and true.  Because God has shared his priorities with us, his very thoughts; those thoughts that reflect the character of God itself, which is righteousness, and truth; we have a great reason to sing, a wonderful purpose for worship. For [because] the word of the Lord is right and true. 

2. Faithfulness:  he is faithful in all he does.  We can depend on God, because God is faithful. Not just in some things, but God is faithful in all things. God is faithful in all he does. 

We can know then, that God is not going to change his mind about loving us, or forgiving us. We can be certain that God will hear us when we call on him – not pretty sure, but certain – because God is faithful (faithful to himself, to his promises, to his character) in all he does.  That’s a great reason to worship. 

3. Another reason to praise God with our joyful, skillful, new songs of praise is to celebrate the  Character of God.  In verse 5 we read “The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.”  This all powerful, all knowing God loves righteousness and justice. This faithful God is always on the side of justice and goodness. 

And this God who has further revealed himself in the New Testament as being ‘made’ of love; i.e., whose very essence is love, has chosen to share that love with everyone. “The earth is full of his unfailing love.”  Where do we see this love?  Where do we not see it, if we are looking – in every act of kindness, and grace, in things of beauty – from a single snowflake to a cosmic nebula, in knowing forgiveness and seeing the change that our forgiveness can make in ourselves and someone else… in families, in friendships, food and fun.  The Earth is full of God’s unfailing love.  A good reason to sing songs to the Lord. 

4.  A fourth reason for praise is that God is the source of Creation.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. ⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. ⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. ⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 

All there is derives its essence from the creative hand of God.  The incredible complexity, beauty and majesty of the Creation, given as a gift to the crowing jewel in creation: us! is reason enough in itself for all people to sing God’s praise. 

And you know, there are many hymns of praise to God for just that in Scripture. From Psalm 8 (O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!)  to the hymn sung around the throne of God found in Revelation 4:  ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come... You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” 

As we sing our praises to God we are joining with the angels, and all of creation, in expressing joy over God’s magnificent creation. 

5. Finally, one other reason to sing God’s praises is because of God’s Sovereignty.  God not only has created all things, God rules all things.  There is a plan, and this plan involves the blessing of God’s people. This plan is part of what the theologians call the ‘immutable will of God’, i.e., it cannot be changed. God is in control, and there is no one on this earth who can ultimately change God’s plans for us. Look at verses 10 – 12: 

¹⁰ The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. ¹¹ But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, (blessed are) the people he chose for his inheritance. 

Blessed are we, the children of God. Because we are those chosen people. 

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Now, one other note regarding our worship. God has made it clear in more than one place in Scripture that God has a clear sense of priority when it comes to our response to him.  We’ve been seeing so far today, that worship – joyful, free, skillful worship is an appropriate response to the awesome goodness and power of God. But, clearly (and I think we need to remember this) when it comes to our response to God, God’s priority is always faithful obedience over great worship. 

It goes back to the beginning of today’s Psalm, where we read: Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.  And clearly, God is more interested in the ‘upright’ part, than the ‘praise’ part. God is not looking for people who are simply going through the motions, he seeks worship that represents an inner turning toward him. God receives our praise, but his joy in it depends more on our desire for obedience than anything else. 

So we read passages like Hosea 6:6, a passage that Jesus quoted twice in the Gospel of Matthew: “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.’ I’m looking more for your love and obedience than your expressions of that love. 

This is God’s clear priority. Both times that Jesus quoted this verse he claimed that the behavior of certain people would have been different if they knew what this meant. 

Another similar passage is Psalm 50:9 (just happens to be another one of today’s Lectionary readings) ^“I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens” (referring to sacrifices in worship.)  I don’t need it – this is something that benefits us, only if it expresses something much deeper. 

And then there’s the incredibly powerful warning in the fifth chapter of Amos: where God speaks these shocking words to the people.. 

    ²¹ I hate, I despise your religious festivals; I cannot stand your assemblies.
    ²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them.
    ²³ Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps.
    ²⁴ But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! 

Yes, we have many good reasons to worship. And worship is the first language of God’s true children. The truth of his word, his faithfulness, his character, love, creative power, sovereignty… all bring about a cry of joy from our hearts. But perhaps the strongest reason of all for worshipping, is that we recognize in worship that we are not the people we used to be! We are God’s children, changed – and under construction – living in his grace day by day. 

So let us shout joyfully! Let us continually sing a new song of praise to our Lord!