Thursday 26 May 2016

Psalm: Psalm 150

Background

Now, as they say, for something completely different. Here wehave a book which deals primarily not with the acts of God's peopleor of Jesus or the subsequent acts of his followers, but a book ofvisions of the end times as revealed by heavenly messengers. Thisis the only apocalyptic book of the New Testament.

It is a passage that helps us contemplate the majesty of God:"Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and isto come" (v. 8). So often our worship can be earthbound and lack asense of the majesty and the entire otherness of God. But thispassage is full of extraordinary visions and extravagant images.The language almost takes one's breath away.

This word 'hallowed' has something of the same freight ofwonder. We use it in the Lord's Prayer. It is is a word whichembraces reverence, awe and majesty but we say it so often that wehave come to take it as commonplace. The word 'awesome' has comeinto common currency and it's power has been dumb downed anddomesticated.

On the glass doors of St Paul's Cathedral thisquotation from Genesis is etched, "This is none other than thehouse of God, this is the gate of heaven" (Genesis 28:17) - a reminder to all who enterthat it is not primarily a visitor attraction but holy ground.

C S Lewis said, "A human in the presence of God is going to feelone of two ways. Either you feel like a small, dirty object or youlose all thought of yourself. The latter is by far preferable."This passage helps us to apprehend the majesty of God and loseourselves.

To Ponder

• Methodist places of worship are well known for being welcoming.There is usually a pre-service hum of conversation. How far doesthis work against an aura of majesty and worship at the start ofthe service? Or is it doing something else?

• Where have you felt the majesty of God most forcibly?