Today’s psalms offer lessons about the various forms worship of God takes. Do you want to draw near to God? Do you struggle to find Him enough? Worship is the means by which we can know Him so intimately that we find Him to be enough in every situation. He doesn’t want us just to know about Him, He doesn’t want us to know Him at arm’s length, but to dwell with Him – that implies a close relationship. That will result in our knowing that He is great, rejoicing in Him, and being glad in Him. He wants us to delight in Him, to experience mutual delight with Him.
These psalms open with a profound truth: praise is due to God. Pause a moment to let that sink in. Whether we acknowledge it or not, whether we feel like it or not, regardless of our circumstances, praise is due to God. Further, think about what precious realities God offers the one who dwells in close relationship with Him: if we dwell in intimacy with Him, we will be satisfied and have hope. If He can still the roaring waves of the sea, He can still the tumult of the peoples – how comforting this truth is to one who is weary of the drama of life.
Every time we read psalms that speak of worship, we are reminded that worship involves joy and gladness, such joy that we shout and sing. Glorious praise would be lavish praise. It is amazing that the writer can say that when he suffered God’s tying him as silver is refined and laying a crushing burden on his back. Given those circumstances, how could the psalmist say that all the earth worships God and sings His praise? There is a lot of evil in this world that does not look like singing God’s praise. But the reality is that all of His creation demonstrates God’s glory, as evidenced in the earth’s yielding its increase to feed and shelter us. One day every knee will bow to Him; that is so certain that we can talk about it as truth. This psalm reminds us that the end of the story of earth and time is that God wins!
That God wins is such a blessing for us because He is a God of steadfast love. Even when David’s circumstances were awful, with people gossiping about him, reproaching him, making fun of him, mistreating him and treating him unjustly, even when he was afflicted and in pain, he praised God for His steadfast love. One of the important truths about worship presented here is that we are to praise God even when we don’t feel like it. The passages from this psalm that were quoted in the Gospels remind us of our Savior’s suffering; in light of what He suffered, do we suffer so much? If He can remain faithful in that, when He had the power to call angels to rescue Him, then with His victory over death enabling us, we can remain faithful, too.