Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

The mighty sun, darkened in shame on the day of crucifixion, is called upon to shine brighter in praise before the Lord. The moon, that will turn the color of blood before the return of Jesus reminding the world of the murder of God’s Son; is now called upon to shine its praise in the darkest night. “The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon will turn bloodred, before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives.” (Acts 2:20) The stars are called upon to sing in the celestial choir; “…the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:7) Every star in the universe omits a unique sound and can be identified by their ‘song’. Spurgeon says of the beauty of their light ‘ …this light is praise in a visible form twinkling to true music. Light is song glittering before the eye instead of resounding in the ear.’ 4 The “skies above” (NIV “highest heavens”) is possibly referring to the throne room of God where the four living creatures, 24 elders and the heavenly hosts are exalting him. The “vapors above the clouds” (NIV “waters above the skies”) could be a reference to the vast crystal sea and the waters circling the throne as an emerald rainbow. ‘Above the heavenly powers and constellations stand the ‘heights of heaven’ very likely the higher sphere of heaven, above which the waters of the ocean of heaven are stored.’ 5 Part of the heavenly realm is sentient, with an intelligence capable of comprehending his call to praise. Part of the heavenly realm (stars, waters) do not have this ability but are called to honor him by keeping to the order in which they were created; ‘This submission to law is praise. Obedience is hom- age; order is harmony.’ 6 The “orders that will never be revoked” are pointing us to the world to come; “Look, I am creating new heavens and a new earth.” (Is. 65:17) The explosion of heavens praise cascades downward to all the earthly realms of creation; the psalmist calls upon ‘pairs’ to praise the Lord in stereo sound: • “ you creatures of the ocean depths ” (7)- Yahweh is Lord of the seas and the monstrous crea- tures that swim its depths; he prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah: “Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” (Jonah 1:17) Jesus proved himself to be the Lord of the depths as he commanded the fishes of sea to fill the nets of his disciples; “’Throw your net on the right-hand side of the boat and you’ll get plenty of fish.’ So they did, and they couldn’t draw in the net in because there were so many fish in it.” (Jn. 21:6) • “ lightning and hail” (8) - The devastating plague that destroyed the crops of Egypt are now called upon to add their thunderous sound to the symphony of praise. “When Moses stretched out his staff to- ward the sky, the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground.” (Ex. 9:23) Thun- der and hail are the rolling timpani drums of God’s orchestra. • “ snow and storm, wind and weather that obey him, (8) The weather that Jesus commanded when confronting a storm on the Sea of Galilee is now called upon to add their power to the crescendo of praise. “Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm. The disciples just sat there in awe. ‘ Who is this?’ they asked themselves. ‘Even the wind and waves obey him!’” (Mt. 8:26, 27) Jesus is the conductor of the symphony and choir of creation. • “mountains and all hills” (9)- The small, rolling hills show the tender hand of the master sculp- tor while the majestic mountains reveal his works of strength and unrivaled power. Spurgeon refers to the mountains of cursing and blessing that the Israelites stood upon and read from the law in the Old Testament: ‘ …we have no longer Ebal and Gerizim, the hill of the curse and the hill of the blessing, but all our Ebals (curses) are turned to Gerizims. (blessings)’ 7 • “ fruit trees and all cedars” (9 )- The psalmist calls upon the complete range of the tree kingdom to lift their limbs in praise, from the domestic fruit bearers to the mighty cedars that grow at random in the forests. “You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands!” (Isa. 55:12) Jesus was Lord of the forests as he was to become the cursed one who would hang on a tree to die for the sins of mankind: “…for anyone hanging on a tree is cursed of God.” (Deut. 21:23) II PRAISE THE LORD FROM THE EARTH , 7-14 Terrestrial Praise! “Praise the Lord from the earth…”

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