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#3.
Further examples and illustrations of worship.
pp. 169 - 173
Continuing our examination of those texts of Scripture which contain references both
to "worship" and "the bowing of the head", we pass from the days of Moses to the time
of the Kings; to David, and the offering made by both king and people for the building of
the temple (I Chron. 29:).
In the preceding chapter (I Chron. 28:) we find that David assembled the princes
and officers of Israel and revealed to them how he had had in his heart the desire to build
a house of rest for the Ark of the Covenant, and had made ready for the building, but that
the Lord had intervened, saying that, seeing he had been a man of war, he could not build
His house, but that Solomon his son should do so after his succession to the throne. After
publicly exhorting Solomon to faithfulness, David gave him the pattern of the house and
its service that he had received from the Lord. Furthermore the last chapter of Chronicles
recounts how, after the people had been told of his intensive preparation for the building
of the house, David made an appeal to them saying, "And who then is willing to
consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?" (verse 5). The response was magnificent.
First the princes and then the people "offered themselves willingly" (verses 6 and 9). In
the confession that followed, when David blessed the Lord before all the congregation,
this willingness comes as a refrain (verse 14, 17). The subsequent exhortation, "Now
bless the Lord your God", is followed by worship, "And all the congregation blessed the
Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and
the king" (verse 20).
If we inquire what "blessing the Lord" implies and involves, we have an answer here
in the language of David which suggests that it is the recognition of all His grace and
glory:
"Blessed be Thou, Lord God of Israel our Father, for ever and ever. Thine, O Lord, is
the GREATNESS, and the POWER, and the GLORY, and the VICTORY, and the
MAJESTY: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the
KINGDOM, O Lord, and Thou art exalted as HEAD above all. Both RICHES and
HONOUR come of Thee, and Thou REIGNEST over all; and in Thine hand is
POWER and MIGHT; and in Thine hand it is to make GREAT, and to give
STRENGTH unto all. Now therefore our God, we thank Thee, and praise Thy glorious
name" (I Chron. 29: 10-13).
Worship contains more, but never less, than this great ascription of praise. Greatness
that is intrinsic and His own, and greatness that is solely at His disposal. A God Who is
sovereign, and a God of sovereign grace.
Mingled with this glorious ascription is the recognition of human frailty: "Our days
on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding" and the fact that all the service
we can ever render to the Lord is but using the gifts which He has originally bestowed on
us: