Friday, July 17, 2009

Ps. 148: Everybody Praise!

Psalm 148:3 "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars."

As crazy a thought as it may be to picture "inanimate" objects like the sun, moon and stars praising God, it is precisely what is happening. All these things listed in the 148th Psalm are commanded to praise God for his power. God hung them there in space, set them spinning, and for that reason, and that power, these things praise God. Creation, dragons of the deep, weather phenomena...when they do what they are intended and created to do, that is their act of worship. Let's not forget the first time we had this image of the sun, moon, and stars paying homage...Joseph's dream back in Genesis 37. (note)

I am reminded again of the concept of "to obey is better than sacrifice." God deserves their obedience for his great power and love. These things, the sun, moon, stars, the rain, mountains, the trees...their "walk" as it were, is only pure. They have no need to sacrifice. Yet they were brought under the curse back in Genesis, at the fall of man. But their constant obedience leads to their blamelessness. Yeah, a lot like David.

This Psalm ends with another mention of the concept of raising up a "horn." I suppose this means a king, a monument, an example, whereby God establishes himself among his people, and his people see this horn, and know that God is the LORD.

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