“Sing forth the honour of His name: make His praise glorious.” (Psalms 66:2)
Sing praises to the King with understanding. The sons of Korah were worshippers and psalmists trained under the supervision of David. David established a group of 288 singers and musicians to offer praises to God continually Day and night. In their Psalm they call the people to praise. (1 Chronicles 25:7) “Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.” (Psalms 47:6,7) These singers and musicians were taught music. They worshipped with skill, understanding and wisdom. While to God even the worse singer is beautiful to Him but when leading music nothing distracts one and keeps one from worshipping than when the music or musicians are not in harmony.
The psalmist, which some believe to be David, but there is uncertainty, exhorts the people to bring forth the honor of His Name. His Name is so holy, the second commandment commands us to honor His Name and not use it in vain. This means don’t use it in lying, falsely or uselessly. “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His is name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7) The Jews took this commandment to heart and will not even mention His Name. When they write God, they omit the o so that they will not take His Name in vain by pronouncing the holiest of God’s names YHVH. God’s Name is so holy that God for this transgression alone will consider one guilty, unclean and punishable. Paul in Philippians tells us that God has exalted the Name of God the Son, Jesus above all. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11) Instead glorify God in praise and worship by exalting His Name, praising Him for His works and praising Him because there is no other god besides Him.
The psalmist writes to make His praise glorious which means celebrated, impressive and unforgettable. Praise Him with trumpet, lyre and harp. (Psalms150:3) Praise Him with timbrel and dance, with stringed instruments and organs. (Psalms 150:4) Praise Him with loud cymbals and with the high-sounding cymbals. (Psalms 150:5) This is a celebration of Him and of His Name. And yet this type of praise is missing in some of our churches.
“And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.” (Psalms 107:22) We no longer make voluntary sacrifices as an act of worship to express devotion or our commitment to God. We no longer have to make grain offerings drink offerings, peace offerings or wave offerings to express our thanksgiving for God’s provision in our lives. We no longer make any of these sacrifices for God’s presence. “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” (Colossians 2:16-17) All those sacrifices were of things to come through Christ. When we worship together and offer the celebratory praise and thanksgiving as a congregation, we are living stones building an altar of sacrificial worship to our God. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 2:5) God hears the voice of the worshipper. “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth His will, him He heareth.” (John 9:31) His manifest presence shows up. “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20)
When we understand the purpose of corporate worship, we will want to be early to make that spiritual altar of sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving. We will want to be present when His manifest presence is in our midst.
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