So we're coming to terms with how we as mere mortals bless the sovereign, omnipotent, Creator. We have an errant understanding of the word in the case of Psalm 103 that needs to be corrected. There are two elements to blessing, one is kneeling and the other is praising.
The Hebrew word is modified for use to express either depending on the context.
The great commentators such as Calvin, Matthew Henry, Thomas Watson, Charles Spurgeon all are sympathetic to the idea that the meaning here is to kneel. They cite Gen. 26 and 27 along with Ps 95 which says in verse 6:
Come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel (bless) before the Lord, our maker.
What a beautiful verse! Submission is not degrading. It is not domination. It is not humiliation.
In an uncertain, sinful and dangerous world, I cannot think of anywhere I'd rather be than kneeling directly before my Creator! What a safe, clean, honest place!
Is there such a thing as false praise? If we corporately do not assume an attitude of kneeling or bowing down when we engage in praise activity - is it Psalm 95 or Psalm 103 praise? Would we ever just go "through the motions" if we were directly in front of God?
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This passage reviews and defines my identity in Christ. It is an identity which is not defined by who I am but by who He is and what He has done and is doing. Because of my total insignificance without His significance, the reader cannot help but be humbled. “Blessing”-Kneeling and Praising, Adoration as Strong’s Concordance defines it, is and should be the natural response of the Christian.
The first and last verses of the chapter are the summation and reaction to the rest of the content.
Four years ago now, I was studying this passage and wrote in my journal: “how is it that He, in reality, defines me yet I do not, in practicality “let Him” define me… In the day to day goings on, He is often just a mark on my resume’ of life…I am not struggling with the every-day-living in response to who God is and what He has done… it's hard!...because I am too caught up in blowing through MY life…”
I heard a speaker once say that Christians tend to have the “My God mentality”. (My God is good etc.) He said “God is not ‘mine.’ I do not define Him. HE defines me!”
I think that the understanding of who we are, is crucial to the everyday “walking humbly with [our] God” Micah 6:8 and living before a lost world.
kneeling is transposition. a physical manifestation of a spirtual reality. The spiritual reality that God is the Sovereign of the universe. It is important because our heart often follows our actions. Kneeling is a regular part of the Anglican form of worship probably for the very reason I just stated. Anyway this was just a test posting. I intend to follow this blog.
The question was raised -"would we ever just go through the motions if we were directly in front of God?" I think when we are directly in front of God...kneeling or even falling on our face will be an involuntary response!! What ELSE will we have to offer him at that moment? A suave greeting? A wise word?
IT will be awesome. Any opportunity to experience it in the here and now of worship is awesome as well! Why wait?
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