What are we to do when things change? When things that once were are no longer, when normal becomes a memory, and when the things that we have gotten used to become things we miss and long for? It can be hard to know how to respond when the unexpected becomes real before us and then changes everything about what once was. Change is inevitable, and yet it never becomes any easier when it arrives.

What do we do when things before us suddenly feel a bit less secure, a bit less solid, and we suddenly feel less confident, even in ourselves, in the world and the road we are walking? That is the greatest challenge of life, and no matter how often we face change outside our circumstances, responding never gets easier. We can feel as if all we want to do is sit still in the moment, or to spend our time looking back to what used to be, remembering and longing for the things that have passed. When that loses whatever comfort we were finding in it, we start to look for comfort and support in other areas of our life: busyness, work, family, friends, fitness, career, or institutions. When change comes that was unexpected, or outside of our control, we often try to adapt and adjust by finding a replacement that either gives us a shadow of what was or, in a sense, something better or new. At least that is how the world might respond to the unexpected, but what about we who live as citizens of the Kingdom of God? The reality might be hard, but the answer should be easy – we worship and praise God! Not because of our circumstances nor in ignorance of them, but because in them the God we worship is still the same.

Psalm 32 ended by reminding the singer of the truth of the world; that as sorrow comes to the wicked, “unfailing love surrounds those who trust in the Lord!” Thus, all whom the Lord loves are to rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure! Then Psalm 33 continues with the same emphasis; in fact, the thought is generally that Psalm 33 is like Psalm 2 to Psalm 1, and this is meant to be read in conjunction with Psalm 32. When difficulty comes, when unexpected change makes our foundation seem weak, then as children of God we are to continue in the way of God in the world, because of who God is and because by the Spirit we know that what we have received by faith can never be taken from us by our circumstances, nor in chapters to come. What we have by faith in Christ is ours fully in this life, and will be ours more fully in what Lewis called “the beginning of the real Story.”

On the mountain top we are called to worship, on the side of the side; our job is to praise, and when we find ourselves in the dark valley, then still it is “fitting for the pure to praise him.” The Psalms help us to understand the why of our worship and praise in four strands:

1. The Joy of Worship (1-5)
2. The God we Worship (6-9)
3. The Security of our Worship (10-19)
4. Hope From Our Worship (20-22)
   

1 The Joy of Worship (1-5)

What then are we to do? We are to worship God with joy in our singing towards Yahweh. Why? Because praise from the upright is beautiful! It is Good to praise God for the one who sings because it makes known the wonder of God in a world that desperately needs it – it is beautiful, but also it is good for the one who partakes in the singing. There is something about partaking in praise of God even when the valley might be dark, because as we think of the Goodness of God and lift our heads towards the heavens in praise, it helps us to put all that we are going through, facing, or worrying about into the bigger picture. Let’s be clear about one thing – this is not a suggestion; this is a command to praise!

1.1 The Joy Of Collective Praise

The Psalmist is not suggesting that we praise God only when it suits us or when things are easy; this is a call to continuous praise of God because of who God is. Even more important here, this is a command to continuous collective praise; the psalmist does not envisage praise of God in an isolated sense but as part of the gathering of the people of God. Our lives should be marked by outward praise of God in how we live, love, and serve one another. But the remedy to the difficulty of life and dark seasons that the Psalmists prescribe here is active participation in the worship life of the people, and specifically, worship that should be joyful. It is beautiful, isn’t it? The image given in verses 2 & 3 of the shape praise takes is not a modest one, nor is it dour, dry, weary, or lifeless – no, the image is one of abundant joy expressed through music and song as the people worship on Lyre’s (guitars) and fancy harps (like a grand piano today); not only that but joy is hear by the volume of those who are partaking in this collective act of worship as they shout to the Lord!

John Piper said something like “mission exists because our worship does not”, and how right he was, you see, for far too long we have thought of worship as the doing of something in a certain place and in a certain way. Perhaps we have even reduced our understanding of worship to the act of singing accompanied by music. Praise is the doing of worship, and that is no bad thing. Yet the fullness of the picture that the beginning of this Psalm gives us should tell us that our vision of praise is far too small and our understanding of what it means to worship is far too limited. Worship is simply the outworking of our life in God by the Grace of the Spirit at work in us. Oswald Chambers helps to ground it when he writes: “God’s training ground, where the missionary weapons are found, is the hidden, personal, worshipping life of the saint.“ Thus, the call of Psalm 33 is not just about going to church on Sunday, but about deepening our life in God and with God by the Spirit through Christ, because to partake in worship is to know God. Lewis writes again that in “ the process of being worshipped… God communicates his presence to men” Worship is lifting our eyes to go and letting the Spirit open our eyes to see God with us.

So what are we to do? We are to worship! That is, on our pilgrimage through the world, we keep our eyes focused on God while pushing deeper into our dependency on God through the Spirit and daily choosing thankfulness for what we have received by Christ, then living in a way that makes it known. And we do it collectively as part of the body of Christ, yet we feel in the Spirit to do it in our own way, with our own heart, and mindful of our context; Eugene Peterson phrases it “compose your own new song to Him,” because his mercies are new every morning, our song to him can be new every day. Worship does not stay static, nor is praise better if we sing the same song over and over; worship flows from the heart and the individuality that God has given us with the collective that God has placed us in. Thus, our new song is a fresh expression of our continued presence with God and experience of God. No matter whether the valley or the mountain top, we are called to compose a new song because our life with God, because we know his goodness every day, and by our spirit-filled worship, we make it known.

1.2 The Foundation of our Worship

If we truly trust someone, it is because they have earned it over time, and we know them to be of good character and standing. If we love someone, it is because, as we have gotten to know them, we have grown in trust in them and, in some ways, in dependence on them. Trust and love come from deep knowledge. We cannot love someone we do not know, and we cannot trust someone whom we have no idea of. Equally, it is hard to trust someone who has hurt us, and to love someone who has betrayed us. I love the imagery that CS Lewis uses in the Chronicles of Narnia about the coming of Aslan and how unsure the children are with him; as they ask about him being safe, and Mrs Beaver responds:

” Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Worship for me then is a combination in equal measure of deepening love and growing trust as fruit of the Spirit in our participation in the divine life where God has called us to serve and be. As we walk with God and commune with Him through His word and the Spirit at work in us, we grow in our love for Him and learn to trust Him all the more; we learn that He is good and that He is the King! Why do we worship? Because good is God, and as the Psalmist continues over the next few verses, he helps us get the why behind the what. God is worthy of our worship because his word is right and true, and he is faithful in all he does. God is due our worship because he can be trusted; that is what the Psalmist is doing as he explains why we worship: God is good and King, and he loves whoever is just and good. Not only does he love good things, but the earth that he has made is full of his unfailing love. No matter the valley we are in, no matter the worry we carry, the unfailing love of God. As the old song of Aslan spoke whispers of the truth and beauty to come in the depths of winter:

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight, At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more, When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death, And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

2 The God we Worship (6-9)

Not only does the Psalmist tell us that the word of God is good and true, and through it the Lord is faithful in all he does, like a just and wise ruler who deserves the praise of his people. The Psalm then shows us something about God’s character: he loves what is right and good. How do we know this? Because his love fills the earth – we see it in all things, those moments of common Grace: the air we breathe, the beauty we see around us, the people we have known who have brought us much joy are all reminders of the goodness of God and the sovereignty of God over all creation. You see, when the Bible speaks of the word of God, it is not simply the means by which God speaks, nor is the Bible in front of us right and true; the word of God is the means by which God acts in the world. Here, the Psalmist speaks of the creative acts of God as right and true, and as signs of his faithfulness and unfailing love. Now the psalmist brings it home as he reminds us of what God did in the beginning: He made the heavens and their starry hosts by the breath of his mouth.

We worship when things change. We know the one we look to is worthy of worship and our faith, because we can see the proof of his unfailing love around us in the common Graces we see each day. Every step we take walking through the park when we need some space and notice the beauty of the flowers or the colour of the leaves, they are reminders of the God who made the heavens and their hosts; the taste of coffee we enjoy in the morning, the joy we get when we see that one person who bring’s us peace – common Grace and all reminders of why the Lord deserves our worship, and our worship of him is good and true because he made all things. In creation, we are reminded of what is Good for us: our dwelling with him by faith in Christ, who in his death and resurrection proved himself as Lord over creation. Thus, worship as life deepens our knowledge and dependence on the one who is over all things; indeed, he set the boundaries of the seas, locked the ocean into its vast reservoirs, and keeps them there. God is sovereign over all things; not only did he make the heavens and our hosts, but he sustains them each day that we might enjoy them, and in enjoying them, know him more and make him know more.

Thus, the Psalmist continues with both the truth of who God is and what we must do in response: Let the whole earth fear Him, and let everyone stand in awe of Him! I think sometimes, because of the humanity of Christ, we can forget the majesty of the God we dwell with by faith; our Father, the one who made all things and sustains all of them by His Word and presence. By the cross, we are invited to know personally the God of the universe, to whom the right response is always fear and awe. Fear here is not the image of a child trembling in a dark street because someone is approaching and he is not sure of their intent; fear here is a fruit of the knowledge of just who God is! Thus, as the probers reminded us, it is the beginning of wisdom, and a deepening fruit of our dependency on God because by the Spirit we grow in knowledge of the majesty of God through the common graces in our life, fear then is respect that comes from deepening love, and as we grow in love of God we cannot help but to stand in awe of Him. Why? For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

3 The Security of our Worship (10-17)

It can be a hard thing to think about when we start hearing words like sovereignty and power in terms of God. It can be hard to think about because the imagery it evokes is so vast that our minds struggle to comprehend it. It feels like looking at a map and being asked whether we can truly understand the scale before us: we might see it in its fullness, but a country or place seems much bigger when we are there than when we look at it from above. Yet, in this section, the Psalm helps us to both understand what it means to think of God in control over all things, and how it acts as a foundation for our life with God, our worship.

3.1 God is in Control (10-11)

God put the stars in their place and set the limits of the oceans and their depths. Indeed, he spoke, and the world came to be in the beginning. That is all the imagery we can be comfortable thinking about, in a way, but what about when it comes to humanity’s politicking? Does God’s control extend there, or does he leave us to figure everything out for ourselves? Well, thankfully, according to the teaching of this Psalm, it is active in the affairs of the nations. Indeed, while the nations may scheme, the Lord will keep them in their place to fulfil his own plans. The psalmist tells us that he frustrates their plans and schemes. So good is the Lord and in control over all things that he keeps his hands on the nations and rulers to fulfil his own plans because they stand firm forever and can never be shaken. What is our proof? The cross of Calvary, in which the political powers of the world intended to put the Son of God to death, and the Lord’s plans stood firm – even in death – and his intentions steadfast as death was defeated. Life was restored to all, as worship moved from the stone temple to the living people of God. When things change and difficulties come, even in the schemes of our rulers and nations, we can continue to worship because we know God is over all things.

3.2 The Lord Knows us (12-15)

This sense of continued worship and praise amid difficulty or distress can seem hard to grasp because praise is a positive thing. It can feel wrong to be positive when there is difficulty or strife around us, almost ignorant. Yet the call to worship is because the one we worship knows the fullness of what we experience and how we ourselves respond to it. God knows the fullness of each of our moments because he has experienced it in Christ: loss, worry, stress, strained relationships, money worries, broken relationships, and difficult daily lives. Yet, more beautifully than that intimate knowledge of the human experience that allows us to know God knows it, is the truth that he knows each of us. Jeremiah told us that he knows us from our mother’s womb. The Psalmist here moves from this picture of God in control over the nations and outworking his own plans to the Father who knows us intimately and loves us deeply: From heaven the Lord looks down and sees us all. Not sight in the sense of something broad but intimate, he sees us individually and in our worth! How do we know? He made our hearts so that he understands everything we do! Eugene Peterson phrases it beautifully when he writes that God has shaped each of us, and now watches everything we do.

God is never not concerned with us individually; he has put far too much into us to ignore us. God is never distracted from thinking about each of us and all that we are going through; he is not too busy with the schemes of nations or keeping stars in their place to lose sight of what we are carrying. That is his unfailing love that fills the earth in the intimate sense. He formed us, and he keeps an eye on us, and so when we come to Him in prayer and worry, there is nothing he does not already know or that he is not active in – we can trust him, depend on Him, and walk with him; that is what a worshipping life is. How much does God know us and love us? So much so that he sent his son into the world to die in our sin so that we might live in the presence of his majesty. We might find ourselves feeling alone and burdened in a way that no one else can understand, yet this Psalm reminds us that nothing in our lives is unknown to God, is not of concern to him, and that we can take to him in worship, praise and prayer.

3.3 Only God Can Rescue (16-19)

When we feel that sense of isolation and burden, we might seek relief or rescue in other things and places. We all do it! Something goes wrong, or something becomes a problem for us, and we think, “I will sort it!” Or if that problem is something outside of our control and it still makes us feel trapped or worried because there is nothing we can do about it, we start to look to other things, people, places, and schemes for some sense of rescue and relief. The minute we lose the sense of the investment God has placed in each of us, the value he has for all of us, and the love he has shown in how he has made us, we start to look for hope in the scheme of man. Schemes which are ultimately nothing in light of eternity. That is what the Psalm is getting at when it compares and contrasts the presence and power of God with things we often put our trust in: the King is not resKing by a large army; indeed, a warrior cannot find rescue in his strength. The horse cannot outrun any problem before us because it provides no ultimate escape, even by its great power. These are strange images, and what the Psalm is doing is using imagery and things that people might look to in this context for help and our rescue, and saying that, before the problem of eternity and in contrast to God, they are pointless and frivolous. We might say a superpower will not be saved by its bombs; a person cannot find rescue in the size of their bank balance; and no matter how fast your car is, it will not outrun the worries of your life and time. What is it then? Only God can rescue!

There is only one place to hope on, to stand on, and to live by in contrast to the false hopes of this world – the goodness of God. In contrast to the failing scheme and idols of our age, the Psalmist once again lifts our eyes towards the heavens: “But look.” While we cannot look for rescue and hope in the things of this world, there is somewhere we can look because he looks to us; God keeps his eye upon those of us who fear him, that is, walk with him by faith, and depend on his faithful love. Remember that faithful love that fills the whole of the created world, well, it is personal and something we can lean on for hope and life; how do we know it? It is the presence of the Spirit who sustains us in the life of faith every day; he is the unfailing love of God and the deep knowledge of God in our daily lives, until eternity. Thus, we have this beautiful image of what the rescue of God would mean for us long before the cross: rescue from death and from famine.

By faith in Christ, we live eternally and can fear God because we do not need to fear death, and we know that we will be sustained in those times of famine, when life feels too much, the burden too heavy, and the resources we need to survive seem scarce. Yet, God is there with us! Perhaps this week with all its unexpected surprises has felt something like that; difficult, isolated and famine like as we walk through the wilderness in step with the Spirit our worship is not ignorance of it, it is simply trusting in the rescue of God and his unfailing love and refusing to lower our gaze to armies, our strength or the horses of our age – in worship we keep our eyes lifted up. Our hearts are set on the goodness and plans of God, even when they make little sense.

4 Conclusion: Hope From Our Worship (20-22)

This Psalm carries so much in both the collective sense and the individual sense, yet as it comes into land it speaks of what we must do as individuals in the collective sense. Of all the beauty that this Psalms speaks so much about the wonder of who God is as fatFatherreator, sustainer, judge, and ruler – and what that means for our life of faith and our witness in worship that wherever we are today and before God this truth is to life our eyes up to the goodness of who he is, and the wonder of what it means to worship him and live for him. The repose is given in the collective because God has brought us into something; thus, the Psalm concludes with the collective “we wait for the Lord because He is our help and shield.” Worship lived and praise in every season strengthen our collective trust in the holy name of God and his unfailing love known in all of creation, in the common grace of our normal Grace, and in our being sustained in those times of famine, stress and distress. Not only does worship strengthen our trust in God, but it also deepens our collective joy! Peterson writes that our hearts brim with joy because we have taken his holy name for ourselves. In God, we have everything we need at every time we might need something, and when we have grasped this, joy in every season becomes permissible, not because we are ignorant of what is going on, but because we have hope that, through what is going on, God is at work.

Thus, because of a heart that worships and a life that is shaped by Praise, the Psalmist closes with the simplest and most profound prayers: “May your faithful love rest on us, Lord, for we put our hope in you.” That is our prayer today, and in every day in all that we do, that we would be aware of our reality in faith if we know the wonder of God’s presence by faith in Christ, that his faithful love might become more real before us and through us in worship and praise. Praise in every season matters because it is the fruit of our life in God by faith, and perhaps a sign that we are yet to know the wonder of the life of faith. Lewis challenges us to see praise as a fruit of our Kingdom humility:

“The most obvious fact about praise—whether of God or anything—strangely escaped me. I thought of it in terms of compliment, approval, or the giving of honour. I had never noticed that all enjoyment spontaneously overflows into praise unless …shyness or the fear of boring others is deliberately brought in to check it. The world rings with praise—lovers praising their mistresses, readers their favourite poet, walkers praising the countryside, players praising their favourite game – praise of weather, wines, dishes, actors, motors, horses, colleges, countries, historical personages, children, flowers, mountains, rare stamps, rare beetles, even sometimes politicians or scholars. I had not noticed how the humblest, and at the same time most balanced and capacious, minds, praised most, while the cranks, misfits, and malcontents praised least…Except where intolerably adverse circumstances interfere, praise almost seems to be inner health made audible.… I had not noticed either that just as men spontaneously praise whatever they value, so they spontaneously urge us to join them in praising it: “Isn’t she lovely? Wasn’t it glorious? Don’t you think that magnificent?” The Psalmists, in telling everyone to praise God, are doing what all men do when they speak of what they care about. My whole, more general, difficulty about the praise of God depended on my absurdly denying to us, as regards the supremely Valuable, what we delight to do, what we indeed can’t help doing, about everything else we value.”¹

1. https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/reflections-may-2012/ ↩