We’ve finally posted portions of what took place Friday night at the WorshipGod08 conference.

The purpose of this session was largely practical. I asked the question, “How do we become churches, congregations, that more accurately, naturally, and consistently, model the kind of relationship the Psalmists had with God?” I set it up by saying we were going to look at four concerns the Psalmists had that we should have as well. We looked at:

1. what we do with our bodies
2. what we do with our minds
3. what we do with our trials
4. God’s glory on the earth

We ended up dividing the night into two “messages.” The first message includes the first three parts and the second message covers the last point. Here’s a brief synopsis of the first message, which includes the first three sections.

In the first section I shared that the Psalmists engaged in and encouraged physical expression in corporate worship that was driven by a clear view of the greatness and goodness of God as Creator, Redeemer, Deliverer, Sustainer, Shepherd, Refuge, Shelter, and more. There is no place for half-hearted praises in the Psalms. Hands clap ( Ps. 47Psalm 47 [47:1]Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy! [2]For the LORD, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth. [3]He subdued peoples under us, and nations under our feet. [4]He chose our heritage for us, the pride of Jacob whom he loves. Selah [5]God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. [6]Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! [7]For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with a psalm! [8]God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. [9]The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted!

), feet dance (Pss. 149-150), knees bow ( Ps. 5Psalm 5 [5:1]Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. [2]Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. [3]O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. [4]For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. [5]The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. [6]You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. [7]But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. [8]Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. [9]For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. [10]Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. [11]But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. [12]For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.

), arms are raised (Pss. 28 and 134), and voices shout and sing everywhere. I wanted us to grapple with what that means for us today, knowing that we had many Presbyterians, Southern Baptists, and Bob Jones graduates at the conference…I said the crucial question is this: “Is there any physical expression of worship that God has given us in Scripture that you’ve never displayed? And if so, why?” I encouraged us to use our bodies to make Jesus look like a glorious Savior, not just when we sing, but every day. After I shared, we sang Praise the Lord from the new Psalms CD and Happy Day by Tim Hughes. It was a great time of glorying in the greatness of God.

From there we looked at engaging our minds as we worship God. It’s evident that the Psalms don’t contain any fluff or filler lyrics. So God must expect us to think about what we’re singing and saying to him. To help us engage more intentionally, I led us in a time of singing, using Psalm 100Psalm 100 [100:1]Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! [2]Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! [3]Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. [4]Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! [5]For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

to inspire spontaneous songs of response. We included a portion of that on the recording.

We then looked at how the Psalmists deal with trials. Ryan Ferguson did a brilliant job reciting Psalm 25Psalm 25 [25:1]To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. [2]O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. [3]Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. [4]Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. [5]Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. [6]Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. [7]Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD! [8]Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. [9]He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. [10]All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. [11]For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. [12]Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. [13]His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. [14]The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. [15]My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. [16]Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. [17]The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. [18]Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins. [19]Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. [20]Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. [21]May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. [22]Redeem Israel, O God, out of all his troubles.

, after which I sang a spontaneous song for those who found themselves in a season of waiting. After taking time to pray for those who were in long-time chronic pain, we moved on to the final section, in which David Powlison shared thoughts on how we should understand the imprecatory Psalms and how they relate to the Pslamists’ concern for God’s glory on the earth. I’ll post on that tomorrow.

In the mean time, if you’d like to download the first part of Friday evening, you can click here. Some people have asked if we’re going to make this into a video. I’m waiting to see the DVD of that night before I answer that question.

7 Comments »

1. “Is there any physical expression of worship that God has given us in Scripture that you’ve never displayed? And if so, why?”

   Whoa, what a question. Thanks for the challenge

   Comment by Matt — August 19, 2008 @ 3:05 pm

2. Friday night was the highlight of the conference for me. I hope that David Powlison’s message will be available.

   Comment by TimK — August 19, 2008 @ 10:05 pm

3. Wow - how much I wish we had this kind of thing here in Sydney…

   So encouraging to hear what’s going on over in the states!

   Comment by Andy Judd — August 20, 2008 @ 9:16 am

4. Friday night was absolutely incredible. The Lord met me very powerfully and I will remember that night for a long time.

   Comment by Nicole McLernon — August 21, 2008 @ 11:11 am

5. I was wondering whether either an mp3 or even just the words from the spontaneous song on waiting would be available. God spoke to me through it, and I would really like to hear it again as well as share it with members of my family who are in such a season alongside of me but were not at the conference.

   Comment by AlainaW — August 21, 2008 @ 2:47 pm

6. Alaina,

   Thanks for asking about the spontaneous song. I plan to post the songs from Friday night and Saturday morning as soon as I get them from Dave MacKenzie, who is editing all the audio for the conference.

   Comment by Bob Kauflin — August 21, 2008 @ 2:51 pm

7. I will never read Psalm 100Psalm 100
   [100:1]Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!
   [2]Serve the LORD with gladness!
   Come into his presence with singing!
   [3]Know that the LORD, he is God!
   It is he who made us, and we are his;
   we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
   [4]Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
   and his courts with praise!
   Give thanks to him; bless his name!
   [5]For the LORD is good;
   his steadfast love endures forever,
   and his faithfulness to all generations.

   This text is from the ESV Bible. Visit www.esv.org to learn about the ESV.

   the same after that night. and it was exciting to see God very specifically answer prayers for those who have suffered from long-term chronic pain. God is great! its exciting to think that what I experienced and learned at the conference is just the beginning of His unsearcheable greatness. Thank you again for all you and the rest of the team did to serve us so well.

   Comment by Emily — August 26, 2008 @ 5:01 pm

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