Stir Yourself Up to Worship
Psalm 103
The good news is that we can stir ourselves up to worship the glorious Living God and in so doing we align ourselves with the fundamental truth of our being.
Like a musical instrument, our lives produce musical orchestration best when we are precisely tuned to the perfect standard. God is our “tuning standard.”
The encompassing need to “Stir Yourself Up to Worship” may be generated by:
- Not honoring God. Romans 1:18-21
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
- Personal woundedness. Job 2:9-10
9 Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” 10 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
- Satan’s involvement, tribulation or persecution, cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desire for other things enter in and CHOKE. Mark 4:13-19
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
David, the anointed poet, is spot on correct. Urgent is the matter of “Stirring Yourself Up to Worship.”
The Psalmists often talk to their soul.
- Why are
you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation 6 and my God. Psalm 42:5, 6
- For God
alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him. Psalm 62:5
- Return, O
my soul, to your rest;
for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. Psalm 116:7
- Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! Psalm 146:1
King David gives three primary tools to “Stir Yourself Up to Worship.”
Remember God’s “benefit package” given to you. Psalm 103:1-5
Recall the full “package of His character.” Psalm 103:6-14
Rightly compare Almighty God’s eternal strength to our human frailty. Psalm 103:15-19