By Jeremy Bell
I am going to share my personal study on Psalm 51 using groupings from my motif analysis. I have taken these groupings of the Psalm and put them together. So, the entirety of the Psalm will be posted, but these groupings will present the text in a different order.
Worship
The word worship in the Bible is a word of action. It is to bow down, or to prostrate oneself, even kissing the ground. It is a demonstration of relationship and a show of reverence. One is humble and submissive, the other superior and in authority over the worshiper. To worship God, one physically bows or prostrates themselves in His presence. There are even instances of bowing in the presence of His angels, though angels are quick to respond that only God is worthy of worship.
Today people still demonstrate physical acts of reverence and humility during religious and holy circumstances. They may raise hands, kneel, fold hands, or even bow down. There is one very famous gesture that has become so legendary, the origins of its’ beginning are unclear. Here is the traditional story.
Physically Moving Music
George Frideric Handel wrote an oratorio called The Messiah to be performed first at the New Music Hall in Dublin, April 13, 1742. Early-music scholar Richard Luckett said that The Messiah is “a commentary on [Jesus Christ’s] Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension”. He wrote 259 pages in 24 days. The writing is a three-part structure with movements within each part of structure. The famous part most of us know, The Hallelujah Chorus is at the end of the second part, the passion.
George II was the King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire. George Frideric Handel was commissioned to write four new anthems for the coronation of George ll. Recently, historians are reconsidering the importance of influence George ll had in foreign policy and military affairs. But most of history has viewed him with disdain. He did not manage his family life well and little is known about his religious life. He did enjoy military affairs and the strategies of war. Historians generally believe that George did act wisely in following the advice of senior ministers, who made the major decisions.
He is King Irrespective of Anyone’s Beliefs
It is an undocumented legend that connects George ll to the Hallelujah chorus. Perhaps that is what makes for a great legend that lives on. I like to consider this legend, the music, and what it inspires the listener to do. Musically, we may sit for a wonderful performance of Handels Messiah. We will hear the first structure of movements, a commentary on the nativity. The moment God became incarnate to save people from separation from Him. This message is exciting enough. The second structure begins, and we are led to consider this salvation being hated to the point of crucifixion; that we hate God enough to put Him to death. And yet, God is king and king of kings anyway, whether we bow down to Him or not.
Knowing that no matter what people do to each other or to Him or against Him, He is king of kings anyway. Is that a nice thought? Is it something we’ve heard over and over again to the point that it is simply transitional? Or is it a point of worship? Is it something we bow down to, even kissing the toes of king Himself? Would you lay prostrate before this kind of kings? King George ll stood up from his seat. He made a royal gesture in honor, in worship of, the king of kings. For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth, Hallelujah! Out of honor and respect to their earthly king, the audience stood with him. Nearly 300 years later we stand with them. The question today is why?
I have identified 3 distinct sections, or elements, in my motif analysis. These are further highlighted in my book, Psalms in Motif Visualization. These sections are much like the sections of a piece of music, each related, but distributed in a pattern throughout the Psalm. When I post for Audio Visualization, my goal is to highlight the patterns and intent over strict translation. I hope it gives fresh encouragement, but I strongly recommend the Psalm to be read as is for proper understanding.
[ Psalm 51 ]
Have mercy on me, God, according to your loving kindness.
According to the multitude of your tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.
Against you, and you only, I have sinned,
and done that which is evil in your sight,
Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts.
You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
For you don’t delight in sacrifice, or else I would give it.
You have no pleasure in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit.
O God, you will not despise a broken and contrite heart.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
Cleanse me from my sin.
so you may be proved right when you speak,
and justified when you judge.
Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean.
Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness,
that the bones which you have broken may rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all of my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Don’t throw me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
Do well in your good pleasure to Zion.
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of righteousness,
in burnt offerings and in whole burnt offerings.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation.
Lord, open my lips.
My mouth will declare your praise.
For I know my transgressions.
My sin is constantly before me.
Behold, I was born in iniquity.
My mother conceived me in sin.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways.
Sinners will be converted to you.
Then they will offer bulls on your altar.
My tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.
Worth Worshiping
Some of us despise tradition. Some blindly follow it. A lot of us have no idea where it comes from or what it means. Kings bow down to the king of kings. George ll did it, David did it. They serve Him, knowingly or not. Whether they think Him dead or not. The honor is deserved. For those who will recognize their helplessness before God, like David did, will come before His Son, the king of kings. They may come broken, weak, diseased, and dirty with evil. But when they come, they have repented, and this king of kings washes them and makes them clean. This king of kings who we put to death still wants us to be with Him. If the kings of earth can physically honor the true king, what is keeping us from it?
Take time to consider who God is and what He has done today. Consider Jesus, the king of kings, and those who don’t simply sing along, but who are so changed on the inside, it bursts to their outside. Whether they bow down, bend their knee, stand up, wave their arms, or prostrate on the ground. The Lord is worthy of worship and praise; join in demonstrating that, releasing pride and embracing humility. Resist the nature of self-worship and self-exaltation and bow to the Nature of Joy.
Resources and Notes
All scripture in this article is from the WORLD ENGLISH BIBLE (WEB). The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.
For more related to this blog, check out my post on Practical Steps to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
This is a reliable translation, but it is always good to read other translations as well. Biblegateway.com has a multitude of translations to read from. It is a great resource.
Another great resource is Biblehub.com. There are multiple translations, commentaries, and so much more. Great research can be done on this platform.
One more I use regularly is Gotquestions.org. This is a great site to answer questions and find threads of related questions.
There are many resources. The key is that God wants relationship directly with you, the individual. His primary source for revealing who He is and growing in intimacy is His word, the scriptures. Don’t just read for instruction. Analyze and read for understanding. Explore, ask questions, and be transformed in Jesus every moment you possibly can. There is no dispute this is a key desire of God. People are brough to the Father, in the Son, by the power of the Holy Spirit. This… This is the Nature of Joy.
Jeremy is an author, musician, and business intelligence manager. His mission is to equip and encourage those in Christ, to equip and encourage others in Christ. Jesus, Christ, is the Nature of Joy and melody of the heart. Jeremy unites business analytics (business intelligence), songs, and Scripture for Christian living in the power of the Holy Spirit.