Praise and Thanksgiving for His Holiness?

March 17 - 24, 2020

Worship in WORD

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. 4 Sing to the Lord, you saints of his; praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. NIV

A psalm of David. A song for the dedication of the Temple. 4 Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones! Praise his holy name. 5 For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning. New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved_

A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David. 4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. thanks unto thee for ever.  KJV

Joy Comes with the Morning A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment,  and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” ESV

I. Personal/Public Purpose - Title

II. Personal Praise: vs. 1- 3

III. Public Exhortation: vs. 4 - 5

IV. Personal Plea: vs. 6 - 10

V. Personal/Public Praise: vs. 11 – 12

Several studies ago, I began the “Word” portion with these words:

“David now directs the saints to what their song of praise should be about in this instance.” 

Well, now I’m “ready” to address this issue. I have taken several days to study and meditate on the object of David’s and all God’s saints’ praise.

⁴ Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.  NIV

⁴ Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. KJV

Many thoughtful readers will be shocked by what David says here. Especially in light of the present-day emphasis of health and wealth that has infected some quarters of the church today. If not that, then the prevalence of the sentimental and self-centered presentation of God’s love is predominantly taught and held and sung amongst believers today.

However, at first glance, it seems that David praises God here, not for His goodness, mercy, or provision. Instead, he enjoins us to praise God for His holiness. Our minds struggle to wrap our minds around this. Yes, we sing of His holiness, but do we confess His holiness in praise and thanksgiving? It would seem more appropriate to use this in word regarding worship. For many, God’s holiness is a foreboding subject. To them, it speaks of His utter purity and intolerance of sin. However, while it points to His purity and sinlessness, God’s holiness primarily points to His absolute transcendence and majesty. It highlights that He is wholly other above and beyond and apart from all creation. This is what I spoke about in my journal entries of July 28 and August 10, 2019. If you click on these two Dates, it will bring you to these entries on my Blog.

Depending on the context in which it is used, a particular aspect or aspects of His holiness will be emphasized. Therefore, God’s goodness, mercy, or provision may be appropriately considered as being part of His holiness. For holiness can and must be attached to all His attributes. It also characterizes all of God’s actions, whether in blessing or wrath. In both weal and woe.

In this passage, it undoubtedly includes praise for God’s past mercies and blessings as well as present deliverance and provision. Barnes comments on this verse illuminate this truth:

The word "holiness" here is used in a large sense as denoting, not so much the hatred of sin, as benevolence, kindness, mercy—the divine compassion toward those who are in trouble or danger. It is true that it IS a proper subject of rejoicing and praise that God is a holy God, a God of truth and justice, a God who cannot look upon sin but with abhorrence, a God in whose nature is combined every possible perfection; but that is not the exact idea here. The word refers to his compassion, goodness, kindness; and to the acts by which that had been manifested to the psalmist, as laying a proper foundation for gratitude and praise.
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Let us, therefore, join in praise and thanksgiving to our Holy God,

“for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.”

(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

Praise Him for His majestic holiness –

Ps 22:3

But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.
(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

Praise Him for His glorious and humbling holiness –

Isa 57:15

For this is what the high and lofty One says —
he who lives forever, whose name is holy:"I live in a high and holy place,but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit,to revive the spirit of the lowlyand to revive the heart of the contrite.
NIV

Praise Him for His wonderful holiness

1 Chron 16:9-12

9 Sing to him, sing praise to him;tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
11 Look to the Lord and his strength;seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
NIV

https://nancyaruegg.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/who-is-like-you.jpg?w=333&h=393

* Note: I have included below, following Worship in Song, some further commentary insights concerning Psalm 30:4

Worship in Witness:

Like Mary, let us worship Him

⁴⁹ because the Mighty One

has done great things for me,

and His name is holy.

⁵⁰ His mercy is from generation to generation

on those who fear Him.

51 He has done a mighty deed with His arm;

He has scattered the proud

because of the thoughts of their hearts;

⁵² He has toppled the mighty from their thrones

and exalted the lowly.

⁵³ He has satisfied the hungry with good things

and sent the rich away empty.

⁵⁴ He has helped His servant Israel,

mindful of His mercy,

⁵⁵ just as He spoke to our ancestors,

to Abraham and his descendants forever.

Luke 1:49-55

(from Holman Christian Standard Bible® Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005 by Holman Bible Publishers.)

Worship in Song: God, the Uncreated One (King Forevermore) by Getty Music

God the uncreated One

The author of salvation

Wrote the laws of space and time

And fashioned worlds to his design

The One whom angel hosts revere

Hung the stars like chandeliers

Numbered every grain of sand

Knows the heart of every man

He is King forever

He is King forever

He is King forevermore

God our fortress and our strength

The rock on which we can depend

Matchless in his majesty

His power and authority

Unshaken by the schemes of man

Never-changing, Great I Am

Kingdoms rise and kingdoms fall

He is faithful through it all

Crown him King forever

Crown him King forever

Crown him King forevermore

Mighty God in mortal flesh

Forsaken by a traitor's kiss

The curse of sin and centuries

Did pierce the lowly Prince of Peace

Lifted high, the sinless man

Crucified, the spotless Lamb

Buried by the sons of man

Rescued by the Father's hand

To reign as King forever

Reign as King forever

Reign as King forevermore

King Eternal, God of Grace

We crown You with the highest praise

Heaven shouts and saints adore

You’re Holy, Holy, Holy Lord!

What joy in everlasting life

All is love and faith is sight

Justice rolls and praises rise

At the Name of Jesus Christ

King of Kings forever

King of Kings forever

King of Kings forevermore

Words and Music by Pete James and Aaron Keyes

Lyrics and Video Source: God The Uncreated One (King Forevermore) Lyrics - Getty Music

Tag under another source of the same Video:

Enjoy this NEW lyric video of the modern hymn, "God, the Uncreated One (King Forevermore)," from @Pete James and @Aaron Keyes from the Sing! Live at the Getty Music Worship Conference.

*

Psalms 30:1-12

 Since the desire of God is to make men partakers of His holiness, the root of chastisement is love, and hours of sorrow are not interruptions of the continuous favour which fills the life.

(from The Expositor's Bible, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2013 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:4-5

I. THE HOLINESS OF GOD. It affirms that in God all good is present and all evil absent. He calls His saints on earth holy, but they are so only by comparison with their fellow-men: and the holiness of the angels is not only limited, but, as all creature holiness, it is derived, it has its origin not in themselves, but in God. He alone is holy in Himself. And now consider --

II. THE EFFECT THIS WONDERFUL HOLINESS SHOULD HAVE UPON US. We are called upon "to sing unto the Lord and to give thanks." Now this implies --

1. A happy confidence in the Lord's mercy. For none can ever thank the Lord for His holiness till he is able to take a firm stand in His mercy. His holiness looked at alone is appalling to us. We can scarcely bear to hear of it. But when we are in Christ, resting on Him, then we can look calmly upon His holiness. Embraced in His mercy, the soul feels as Noah, shut in the ark -- safe, though destruction be all around.

2. A delightful admiration of God's holiness. God delights in it Himself. Nearly fifty times He calls Himself "the Holy One." And the angels and saints in heaven glory in it. See the trisagion, "Holy, holy, holy," etc. And we are called upon to share in this delight. The communion service bids us say, "Therefore with angels and archangels," etc. Happy are we if we can understand such language and really join in it.

3. A grateful sense of his obligations to the Divine holiness. What delight to turn from the dreary sinfulness of men, to the holiness of God. The thought of it is as an oasis in the wilderness. And it sheds a radiance on all His other attributes. What would any of them be apart from this? And what holiness we have is an emanation from His, and, because of His, will be perfected. Therefore let us live in remembrance of it.

(from The Biblical Illustrator Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006 Ages Software, Inc. and Biblesoft, Inc.)

Psalms 30:4

[Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.] "Be ye holy," saith the Lord, "for I am holy." He who can give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, is one who loves holiness, who hates sin, who longs to be saved from it, and takes encouragement at the recollection of God's holiness, as he sees in this the holy nature which he is to share, and the perfection which he is here to attain. But most who call themselves Christians hate the doctrine of holiness; never hear it inculcated without pain; and the principal part of their studies, and those of their pastors, is to find out with how little holiness they can rationally expect to enter into the kingdom of God. O fatal and soul-destroying delusion! How long will a holy God suffer such abominable doctrines to pollute his church, and destroy the souls of men?

(from Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:4

 “Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness,” — at the very memory of him; at the remembrance of the whole of him, for that is his holiness, his wholeness, the entire, perfect character of God. O saints below, sing as they do in heaven, for their song is “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.

(from Spurgeon's Expository Notes. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:1-5

Sing unto the Lord, O you saints of his! All that are truly saints he owns for his. There is a remnant of such in this world, and from them it is expected that they sing unto him; for they are created and sanctified, made and made saints, that they may be to him for a name and a praise. His saints in heaven sing to him; why should not those on earth be doing the same work, as well as they can, in concert with them? 1. They believe him to be a God of unspotted purity; and therefore let them sing to him; "Let them give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness; let them praise his holy name, for holiness is his memorial throughout all generations." God is a holy God; his holiness is his glory; that is the attribute which the holy angels, in their praises, fasten most upon, Isa 6:3; Rev 4:8. We ought to be much in the mention and remembrance of God's holiness. It is a matter of joy to the saints that God is a holy God; for then they hope he will make them holy, more holy. None of all God's perfections carries in it more terror to the wicked, nor more comfort to the godly, than his holiness. It is a good sign that we are in some measure partakers of his holiness if we can heartily rejoice and give thanks at the remembrance of it.

(from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, PC Study Bible Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All Rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:4-5

 The history of redemption is, as it were, an unfolding of the Name of Jahve and at the same time a setting up of a monument, an establishment of a memorial, and in fact the erection of a qodesh zeeker; because all God's self-attestations, whether in love or in wrath, flow from the sea of light of His holiness.

(from Keil and Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:4

Give thanks ... his holiness - literally, 'confess (for when we give thanks to God, we can never exceed the truth; we are always only confessing what God actually is) to the memorial of His holiness.' The holy name of God is what God calls His "memorial" (Ex 3:15; Hos 12:5). His manifestation in act of His attributes of power, wisdom, and love to His saints, is to be had by them in everlasting remembrance (Isa 26:8; Ps 135:13). "Holiness" is impressed on His "memorial," in that the latter is elevated infinitely above all created beings, and is by them to be regarded with humble adoration. Compare note, Ps 22:3. His forbearing compassion and grace flow from His "holiness," which is raised far above human passions (cf. Hos 11:9).

Psalms 22:3

But thou art holy. He, in unshaken faith, proclaims God's holiness at the very time when God was seeming to disregard the cry of faith. Thou art holy, therefore will I trust thee, though I cannot see or feel thy presence. "Holy," as applied to God, primarily refers to the infinite separation whereby He is lifted above the weakness, and especially the sin of the creature. Compare Isa 6:1-3,5. So the idea of unapproachable majesty is closely allied to it (Isa 57:15). The idea of purity is the secondary notion, connected with which, here, is His truth or faithfulness to His trusting people.

(from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright © 1997-2014 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Psalms 30:4

[and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness] which is essential to him, and in which he is glorious; and which appears in all his ways and works of providence and grace, and both in the redemption and sanctification of his people; and besides this, there is the holiness of Christ, which is imputed to his saints, and the sanctification of the Spirit, which is wrought in them; and at the remembrance of each of these it highly becomes them to give thanks to the Lord, since hereby they are made meet to be partakers of his kingdom and glory.

(from John Gill's Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, PC Study Bible formatted electronic database Copyright © 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)