Homilist Psalm 66:1-20 Make a joyful noise to God, all you lands:… I. It is EXULTINGLY DELIGHTFUL (vers. 1, 2). It is a cheery, jubilant exercise of the mind; the whole atmosphere of the soul breaking into sunshine, all its vocal powers going out in rapturous music. Worship is the soul losing itself in the infinitely kind, the supremely beautiful and good. Self-obliviousness is the highest happiness. II. It is BINDING ON ALL. "All ye lands." It is more rational, more right, for men to neglect everything else than to neglect this — neglect their physical health, their social advancement, even their intellectual culture, than to neglect worship. It is the "one thing needful." It is that one thing which, if lacking in any character, damns the man. III. It has a DIRECT RELATION TO GOD. "Say unto God, How terrible art Thou," etc. It speaks not about Him, but to Him. It may be said that genuine worship has to do with everything — it mingles in all the services of the man, makes the whole life one unbroken psalm. True, but it only does so by the conscious contact of the soul with God. As the fields that are sown with grain must turn themselves to the sun before there will come germination, growth, maturation, so the soul must put itself into conscious contact with God, its Sun, before its spiritual powers can be brought out into true worship. IV. It will ONE DAY BE UNIVERSAL. "All the earth shall worship Thee." (Homilist.) Parallel Verses KJV: {To the chief Musician, A Song or Psalm.} Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: |
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