Worship Series 5

The Closing Devotional

When I Think about the Lord How He saved me, how He raised me How He filled me, with the Holy Ghost How He healed me, to the uttermost When I Think about the Lord How He picked me up and turned me around How He set my feet on solid ground

It makes me wanna shout

Hallelujah

Thank you Jesus

Lord you’re worthy

Of all of the glory, of all of the honor, of all of the praise!

When you think about the Lord - it just does something to ya on the inside that will always want to bubble over into something

That something - we saw 2 Samuel 6

We saw dancing

We saw singing

We saw shouting

We saw the drums beating

We saw the wind instruments billowing

We saw cymbals and tambourines clanging

We saw Plalms and songs written

When you think about the Lord…

Something from within you just has to happen!

The Hebrew had words for these things - so let’s go over a few:

1 Hallah: It’s the most common word for praise - meaning to boast, to brag or rave about God to the point of appearing foolish. (think the FAN-atic at the football game) IT is the fanatic inside that comes out to boast about my Jesus.

Psalm 63:3–4 “3 My lips will glorify you because your faithful love is better than life. 4 So I will bless you as long as I live; at your name, I will lift up my hands.”

2 Yadah: means to worship with extended or raised hands

Psalm 134:2 “2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord!” Psalm 43:1–5 “1 Vindicate me, God, and champion my cause against an unfaithful nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust person. 2 For you are the God of my refuge. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about in sorrow because of the enemy’s oppression? 3 Send your light and your truth; let them lead me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place. 4 Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise you with the lyre, God, my God. 5 Why, my soul, are you so dejected? Why are you in such turmoil? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise him, my Savior and my God.”

Yadah - is what the little kid runs to their father crying out “hold me, Daddy” Yadah - often translated with “giving thanks” Yadah - is a cry for help - its identifying God, “You are my Savior!”

3 Barak: it is to give a blessing

Job 1:21 “21 saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Psalm 72:15 “15 May he live long! May gold from Sheba be given to him. May prayer be offered for him continually, and may he be blessed all day long.”

Barak is giving the thought of the privilege of blessing the Lord.

4 Tehillah - means to sing or to laud with words

Psalm 22:3 “3 But you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”

Exodus 15:2 “2 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”

Tehillah involves music and singing - especially singing. Singing is a vital aspect of worshiping God. Its noted that there are over 300 Biblical mandates to SING to the LORD. We even see that God sings a song over His people!

5 Zamar - means to pluck the strings of an instrument

Psalm 18:1–3 “1 I love you, Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock where I seek refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I was saved from my enemies.”

Ephesians 5:19 “19 speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music with your heart to the Lord,”

Zamar speaks of rejoicing. It is involved with the joyful expression of music. Zamar means to sing praises or to touch the strings. It speaks of involving every available instrument to make music and harmony before the Lord. It is God’s will that we be joyful. Use Zamar when you are rejoicing after God has done something great for you.

Psalm 43:4 “4 Then I will come to the altar of God, to God, my greatest joy. I will praise you with the lyre, God, my God.”

6 & 7 Todah and Shabach

“Todah” means to shout or to address with a loud voice. But Todah goes even further. It includes an attitude of gratitude for God’s promised deliverance even while we are still in need. This type of praise also refers to lifting of the hands in inviting God’s help. Todah praise is having faith and assurance that is well even before the victory actually comes.

It’s when Moses had his hands up for the battle that Joshua was fighting in the valley.

Psalm 56:1 “1 Be gracious to me, God, for a man is trampling me; he fights and oppresses me all day long.”

Shabach follows with it - meaning to SHOUT or to address in a loud tone.

“Shabach” also means to shout or to address in a loud tone. For example, the pagan king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was struck insane by God because of his pride. When God restored his sanity seven years later, Nebuchadnezzar shouted words of Shabbat praise:

Daniel 4:37 “37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of the heavens, because all his works are true and his ways are just. He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”

8 Hallelujah

“HALLELUJAH” is the premier word for praise in the Bible. Hallelujah transcends the languages of the world. It is not translated; it is transliterated.

“Hallel” means to boast or to brag on, to make a show, even to the point of looking ridiculous.

“Jah” is the short form of the name for God.

It is considered the HIGHEST praise you can give to God.

It’s the spontaneous outcry of one who is excited about God.

It is reserved in the Psalms for the most intentional praise and worship to God Psalm 150 “1 Hallelujah! Praise God in his sanctuary. Praise him in his mighty expanse. 2 Praise him for his powerful acts; praise him for his abundant greatness. 3 Praise him with the blast of a trumpet; praise him with harp and lyre. 4 Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and flute. 5 Praise him with resounding cymbals; praise him with clashing cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes praise the Lord. Hallelujah!”

The word hallelujah is used only four times in the New Testament, all of them in Revelation 19:1-7.

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.”

“Hallelujah! Revenge on the Harlot: God is just after all.”

“Hallelujah! God is still on his throne even though the world is destroyed.”

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.”

This evening, dear Saints, is the opportunity to fling wide open the gates of our hearts to praise and worship in an undignified fashion!

Our point here tonight is to not judge others’ worship, instead we cheer each other on in glorifying our LIVING GOD - Hallelujah!

Dig deep tonight into the wells of your soul, so that out of the depths of who you are praises and glorifies God. Are you ready?!