Bible Commentaries

‘WORSHIP THE KING!’

‘God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.’

Psalms 47:7

I. The characteristic of united rather than of personal expression of feeling belongs to the earliest hymns introduced into the Christian Church.—And in our own devotions it is very important for us to remember the truth embodied in that custom. We are not isolated Christians; we are members of a Christian Church.

II. The great function of hymns in public worship is to bring before our hearts as well as our memories, in an attractive and moving form, the great facts of our holy faith, and also to help us to apply these great facts and doctrines to our own particular wants.

III. Hymns teach a lesson as to the unity of believers.—They belong, not to one century or another, not to one Church, or one sect, or one class, or one part alone of the kingdom; but from every section of our fellow-Christians have been found gifted servants of God pouring forth their adoration, their penitence, or their trust in language which is not of a party, but simply of the universal Church.

Illustration

‘Each blessing and revelation of God given to His Church is an occasion for a hymn of praise, and a grateful confession of His glory. Never can she, never dare she forget or conceal the fact that His love is the ground of her election, and the cause of her salvation. But she is especially urged to give thanks with heart, hand, and voice, when God not only gives her victory over her enemies, but also protects and confirms her in the promised inheritance. For thereby God makes an actual revelation of His majesty, and shows that while graciously condescending to His people, He still governs the world on His heavenly throne.’