MEDITATIONS
FROM THE PSALMS
December 29, 2004
Reading
“Bless the Lord, all you servants
of the Lord” Psalm 134:1
Listen, my soul, how tragic that you should even
have to be encouraged to bless Him who has given you every spiritual blessing. Why
does this not flow freely from your heart as water cascades down the hillside
from its source? Why do you not spend more time worshipping your Creator and
King and singing praises to His Holy Name?
In the days of old Your
priests, O Lord, stood in the sanctuary and blessed You every night. With their
hands raised toward heaven their lips worshipped You
and their hearts adored You. Your servants ministered to You
and communed with You constantly, and with their whole heart they blessed You.
Alas, among them were those who merely went through
the motions—their hands lifted high and their lips forming words, but their
hearts were not right with You. But their actions and
words did not fool You, Almighty King, for You know
the thoughts and intents of our innermost being.
I must bow before You at
this moment, my Sovereign, and confess that I am deeply challenged by these
thoughts. I, who am called to be a priest in Your
kingdom, spend so little time with my spiritual hands raised in worship and
adoration. How similar I am to those whose words and actions were not the true
expression of their heart. My arms are too often hanging down with their
involvement in everyday activities. Too frequently they lay in my lap as I fill
my mind with worldly entertainment. In comparison, dear Lord, how often are my
hands and heart raised in worship to You?
O God, my Creator, You look for worship from my
redeemed soul, but, alas, Your search finds little but
lukewarmness, and I know how You feel about that. I enter Your
presence with needs in my heart and requests on my lips, and this is the frame
of mind with which I approach Your throne instead of worship and adoration. You
deserve the worship of my heart for I know it is like the sweet smell of
perfume to Your senses. It seems I have things
backwards—surely You deserve the sweetness of worship
before the lengthy lists of confession and requests.
“My King, enlighten my soul to Your Majesty and Holiness, and make the
very essence of my being desire to bless You above and before all things.”
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within
me bless His Holy Name.
For You alone are worthy,
Christ, my Lord.
O come, let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him,
O come let us adore Him.
Christ, my Lord.