Psalm 95:6 “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”
When I first saw this verse, I thought it was simply a picture of how worship should be in my heart. Worshiping God is something all Christians do, but was there more to this verse than meets the eye? One thing I have been learning as I study God’s Word is that there is so much more to glean from a verse in Scripture than what is on the surface. As I thought about the words in this “simple” verse, I asked God what was it He wanted me to understand from it. Here is the answer I received.
If I could really grasp the enormity of who God is… His perfect holiness, His breathtaking majesty, His unbelievable power… I would probably never lift my eyes to Him. Instead, I would crawl toward Him as a blind person, never raising my head upward, and then I would offer my meager words of worship in a trembling voice, keeping my head low and hoping He heard me before I quietly retreated from His presence.
But this almighty God who reigns above all was not made known to me as a merciless king who sits on a sterile throne, his narrowed eyes judging and condemning me as I kneel before Him. Instead, God revealed Himself to me in the person of His Son, Jesus, who said if we knew Him, we would know the Father (John 8:19). So I look to Jesus to see God. Jesus didn’t present Himself as an omnipotent king that was unapproachable and without compassion. Instead, Jesus came to the world as a servant with a heart full of love, compassion, mercy, and forgiveness (Philippians 2:7). His life was an antithesis to ruthless kings and dictators who craved riches and glory over the needs of their subjects. Jesus came to seek and save those who were lost (Luke 19:10). He offered the world eternal life by accepting Him and His ultimate sacrifice for sin (John 3:16). Jesus beckoned to me with His arms opened wide on a horrible Roman cross, suffering and dying for me, so I could have the most wonderful relationship ever with my Lord and Saviour! That’s my picture of God!
Although I know God is omnipotent, majestic, holy and righteous (just the tip of the iceberg), it is because of Jesus that I do not need to cower and crawl to worship God, fearing what He might do to me. I can freely bow before Him with a humble and grateful heart, worshiping Him as best I know how because I know He loves me! Through the bodily representation of God the Father in God the Son, I know that when I bow down and worship God, I can lift my head and look into the loving eyes of a heavenly Father who gave all so I could come before Him humbly, yet boldly to offer my heartfelt words of praise and worship.
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” – Psalm 29:2