“Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” Psalm 95:1-3
Devotional Thought For The Day
Many of us became familiar with this psalm of praise as young children, as the first seven verses are sung in the Venite in the service of Matins. The first known use of this liturgical hymn of praise is around the 13th century. Venite derives from Latin, coming to us through Middle English, and means “O come.” Many have come into contact with this word through the original Latin version of the Christmas hymn “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” in the refrain “venite adoramus,” meaning “O come let us adore Him.” You can learn more about the traditions of Matins in Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy by reading an online dictionary. The word “matins” literally means “of or pertaining to the morning” – so this service was put together for use in the early morning, and versions of it are used even in many protestant churches, particularly Lutheran churches.
This hymn of praise says a mouthful in regard to the LORD, the only True and Living God. First, He is the “Rock of our salvation.” He is the only hope we have, the only Rock upon which to base our faith and build our lives. So this phrase reminds us that “it is by grace that you are saved . . . the gift of God.” [Eph. 2:8,9] We are invited to faith in these words, to know that God is our Savior – that while we cannot save ourselves, cleanse our sin and guilt away, all is not lost; God can cleanse away our sin [Is. 1:18] and remove our guilt, and save us. He has saved us in Christ Jesus, “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world.” [John 1:29] So, repentance and faith in God, God as He really is, as He reveals Himself to us in Jesus, are the foundation of all true worship of God.
In view of this, who would not want to sing His praise and make a joyful noise to Him? And obviously, those who know most fully and most clearly the nature of His love, His goodness, and His salvation are most eager to “come into His presence with thanksgiving.” What is described in these short statements is the very gist of a proper relationship with God, upon which all blessedness and goodness is dependent – humble honesty and repentance for our sin and utter reliance upon God for salvation and all blessings, understanding that they are all given to us by grace, as His gift of love to us, and utter joy, thanksgiving, and adulation of God the Lord – the “great God,” the only True and Living God! Those who are blessed with such faith relationship with God are able to see clearly all other matters; those without such faith and understanding of God cannot keep anything straight but are constantly skewing reality, both in understanding themselves and other human beings, and also in understanding God, His purposes, His goals, His project.
Finally, the hymn moves on to the great power of God the LORD, that there are no other “Gods,” only pathetic little false “gods.” He is King over all – over all human beings; King over all angels – including the demons; King over all powers and authorities, over the powers of creation itself – which He Himself made and governs. Who among believers would not want to start the day out with thought of all of these realities, with the confidence and joy of knowing that we are saved by God’s grace, embraced eternally by His love, and are kept as His treasured possession by His almighty power and authority? How blessed the one is who starts His day with such praise and thanksgiving to God, knowing that this is our principle purpose, task, and duty in all that we do, whatever our vocation and place in life is – to receive God’s love and give Him all thanks and praise!
There is something to be said in favor of a disciplined liturgical life. Worship shapes and forms our very being, and if it is true and proper worship, this shaping and forming benefits every aspect of our living. So, “come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation!”
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, only-begotten Son of the Father, eternal Word, co-Creator of all things, Rock of our salvation, almighty and great King above all gods – all praise, honor, glory, and thanksgiving be to You. Stay with us Lord as You have promised, throughout the day, reminding us that we are Yours, purchased and won from sin, death, and the devil by Your cross and resurrection. Help us to incorporate these realities into all our thinking, and to then have these realities as foundational to all that we are, think, and do. May we sing joyfully to You all through the day. Amen.