This hymn is about worshiping our King.  Many times, it is hard for me to really grasp a good picture of God.  It is hard to understand God or know Him.  But, God has revealed Himself in His Word, and there are many things that we can understand about Him.  It helps me in my relationship with God to see who He is, and to worship Him for it.  Well, this hymn is about worshiping our King.  It gives us some good reminders of who God is.  He is our Shield and Defender.  It is sometimes very hard to overcome sin and Satan, but God is there as our Shield and Defender, aiding us in our ongoing struggle.  He is a mighty King, and the giver of Grace.  Lately, God has been showing me many of the things He has and is doing for me.  It amazes me how much God grace God has given and is giving me.  And how much I don't deserve it.  He is caring.  Many times, it doesn't seem like God is there, and it doesn't seem like He's helping us much, but never doubt His love and His care.  He is there, and He does care, even if you can't see it all the time.  The last line of the second to last verse gives us four great descriptions of God: "Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend."  He made us, He defends us, He redeemed us, and He befriends us!  In Romans it talks about how if God is for us, who can be against us?  And that if God didn't spare His Son, He will surely be with us and "graciously give us all things."  God is here, and He is on our side.  He didn't spare His Son for us, so why do we worry that He isn't helping us now?  So, let us worship our King!
1. O worship the King, all glorious above, O gratefully sing His power and His love; Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise. 2. O tell of His might, O sing of His grace, Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space, His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form, And dark is His path on the wings of the storm. 3. The earth with its store of wonders untold, Almighty, Thy power hath founded of old; Established it fast by a changeless decree, And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea. 4. Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite? It breathes in the air, it shines in the light; It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain, And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain. 5. Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail, In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail; Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end, Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. 6. O measureless might! Ineffable love! While angels delight to worship Thee above, The humbler creation, though feeble their lays, With true adoration shall all sing Thy praise.

     

I've posted this hymn before, but I want to do it again.  I hope it will hit you in a different way this time, and you can really apply this.  God moves in a mysterious way, so don't try to put Him in a box.  So many times I try to understand what is really God's will, or what God is really doing.  I get all worked up trying to figure it, not realizing that God's going to do it the way He wants to, and I don't have to understand.  God doesn't have to speak to me in a certain way and He doesn't have to work on me in a certain way.  We fear what we can't understand, but it should give us great peace that we don't have to figure it out, because God has it all figured out and He can actually do something about it.  So we need to try to stop trying to understand God and understand how He does everything and start to worship and fear Him for His unfathomable greatness.  This also applies to our relationship with people.  We won't be able to understand why people do certain things, but God does and He will help them, so be at peace.  This Hymn is all about what I was talking about.  God moves in a mysterious way.  Man!  I want to go through every verse specifically and talk about it, but just take your time and read through these verses and see how you can apply them to your relationship with Him.  Have a good week! 

God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform; He plants His footsteps in the sea And rides upon the storm. Deep in unfathomable mines Of never failing skill He treasures up His bright designs And works His sovereign will. Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; The clouds ye so much dread Are big with mercy and shall break In blessings on your head. Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, But trust Him for His grace; Behind a frowning providence He hides a smiling face. His purposes will ripen fast, Unfolding every hour; The bud may have a bitter taste, But sweet will be the flower. Blind unbelief is sure to err And scan His work in vain; God is His own interpreter, And He will make it plain.

Happy Easter everyone!  This is my favorite Easter hymn of all time.  It talks about the many things that happened because of Christ's resurrection.  It is such a joyful hymn for the most joyful day of the year.  Let us all rejoice that though we may have troubles in this life, and the fight with sin is so hard sometimes, Christ died our souls to save, and He rose again from the grave. He has broken the curse of sin and it's power, and has given us something to rejoice in, no matter what our circumstances are like.  I hope you have a very happy Easter and I hope this hymn enhances your understanding and appreciation for what our Lord and Savior did.  He is risen! 

Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia! Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is over, Alleluia! Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia! King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia! Everlasting life is this, Alleluia! Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia! Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia! Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia! Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia! Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia! Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia! Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

Whew!  I love this hymn!  It is yet another song that affirms us in our belief that God truly is Sovereign over all creation, that He is truly in control, and that He truly has a plan.  Verse two tells us that He is sovereign in all affairs of man.  It's such a comfort that when we turn on the news or read a newspaper and it's talking about all the stuff going on in the world, that God is in control over that.  No powers of death or darkness can thwart His perfect plan.  We need not worry about world events, because God has got it under His control.  We also see that He is sovereign over our circumstances, and will turn our earthly sorrow into gold of heavenly gain.  He will pursue our souls eternal good--what a comfort that the only one who can actually change our hearts and develop us spiritually, will actually do it!  But, though we know this, we still only see God dimly.  As Emma said on my last post, if we only saw God fully, how we would run to Him and desire Him.  But, we only see Him dimly, which is why it is so important to trust that He really is in control.  And, we can look forward to the day when we don't see God dimly anymore, and we will be with Him in heaven forever--so let us trust and worship Him! 

O Father, You are sovereign In all the worlds You made; Your mighty Word was spoken, And light and life obeyed. Your voice commands the seasons And bounds the ocean’s shore, Sets stars within their courses And stills the tempests’ roar. O Father, You are sovereign In all affairs of man;No powers of death or darkness Can thwart Your perfect plan.All chance and change transcending,Supreme in time and space,You hold your trusting children Secure in Your embrace. O Father, You are sovereign The Lord of human pain, Transmuting earthly sorrows To gold of heavenly gain, All evil overruling,As none but Conqueror could,Your love pursues its purpose--Our souls’ eternal good.O Father, You are sovereign! We see You dimly now, But soon before Your triumph Earth’s every knee shall bow.With this glad hope before us our faith springs forth anew: Our Sovereign Lord and Savior,We trust and worship You!