Psalm 99:1-3
The tendency today is to bring God down from His exalted position as Creator and King over all creatures, and make Him on a level with us. We show respect to our judges and address them as "Your Honor." The man appointed to preside over a meeting we call "Mr. Chairman," but the King over all kings, the Supreme and glorious God, men want to address as though He were a human friend. Our English language has the pronouns Thee and Thou which we can reserve for God as one far above us. But men want to address Him as though He is on our level.
We do well to consider what He Himself wrote through the psalmist in Psalm 99:1-3. Listen to this:'The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: He sitteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved. The LORD is great in Zion; and lie is high above all the people. Let them praise Thy great and terrible name; for it is holy." This ought to fill us with reverence and awe and warn us to speak of Him and to Him with profound respect, and not as we do to each other.
Let us remember those cherubim that guarded the way to the tree of life after man fell, when he attempted to climb up to God and decide for himself what was good and evil for man. God dwelt behind the veil in the temple and might not be approached as a man in man's ways.
Yes, those cherubim stood on the mercy seat of the ark, and on it the blood of Christ was symbolically sprinkled. But should not that fact raise and not lower God in our estimation? What lofty love does that not display? Sing solemnly with profound respect (PRC Psalter):
God is King forever; let the nations tremble;
Throned above the cherubim, by all the earth adored;
He is great in Zion, high above all peoples;
Praise Him with fear, for holy is the Lord.
You cannot show the Holy One too much respect and love. The very way in which we approach Him should be one of praise and acknowledgment of the fact that He is holy, that is, set apart and above all creatures. Bow your head in prayer but also your soul before the Exalted God.
Read: Psalm 99
Psalter versification: #266:1
(Words and Music of the Psalter)
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
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Song for Meditation: Psalter #49
Why not sing along??
Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Jeremiah 16:16-21 ; Jeremiah 17 ; Jeremiah 18:1-23
1 Thessalonians 4 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
Psalm 81:1-16
Proverbs 25:6-8
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Quote for Reflections
“Little Matters of Life”: “Another thing essential to growth in grace is watchfulness over our conduct in the little matters of everyday life. Our tempers, our tongues, the discharge of our several relations of life, our employment of time—each and all must be vigilantly attended to if we wish our souls to prosper. Life is made up of days, and days of hours, and the little things of every hour are never so little as to be beneath the care of a Christian. When a tree begins to decay at root or heart, the mischief is first seen at the extreme end of the little branches. "He that despises little things," says an uninspired writer, 'shall fall by little and little.' …We must aim to have a Christianity which, like the sap of a tree, runs through every twig and leaf of our character, and sanctifies all.” -J.C. Ryle
Additional Info
- Date: 11-October
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.