Psalm 96:5,6
What man makes depends upon man. An engine can lift a heavier object than the man who made it can. But a man must put the fuel into the tank, turn the switch to start it, and place upon it the object to be lifted. And it came into being by the work of man's hand and mind.
How foolish it is then for man not to trust in and worship God Who made him, rather than to trust in and worship the things that he thought up, made, and must carry about if they are going to be moved. And how wise it is to take heed to the words of the psalmist as in Psalm 96:5-6 he wrote these words:"For all the gods of the nations are idols: but God made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before Him: strength and beauty are in His sanctuary."
Our versification sings it thus (PRC Psalter):
Vain are the heathen gods, idols and helpless;
God made the heavens, and His glory they tell:
Honor and majesty shine out before Him,
Beauty and strength in His temple dwell.
This is presented by the psalmist because he had called us to sing praises to God and to tell the world that He is God alone. He made the heavens which are the highest point in creation. Upon Him all things depend; and He depends on no one and on nothing. If we do not trust in Him and worship Him, we trust in and worship that which has no majesty and honor, no strength and beauty. The unbeliever trusts in and worships that which does not exist and is an imaginary god.
In wisdom we sing praises to God and tell the world round about us that He is God alone. Man and his idol depend upon God. Unto Him only should we look for blessings; and Him we should thank for everything we receive.
Every morning when we awake, we should look to God for the needs of the day. Every night thank Him for what we received. And that does not simply mean our material, earthly needs. Strength and beauty are in His sanctuary. There typically men saw the strength and beauty of the cross that brings us all the heavenly blessings of our salvation.
Read: Psalm 115
Psalter versification: #259:3
Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism
Song for Meditation: Psalter #190
Why not sing along??
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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today: |
Ecclesiastes 4 ; Ecclesiastes 5 ; Ecclesiastes 6:1-12
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ; 2 Corinthians 7:1-7
Psalm 47:1-9
Proverbs 22:16
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Quote for Reflection:
The Power of Sin: “…The sun shining into a neglected room does not create the dust and cobwebs, but simply reveals them. Thus it is with the Christian. The more the light of the Spirit is turned upon him inwardly, the more he discovers the horrible plague of his heart (1 Kings 8:38), and the more he realizes what a wretched failure he is. The fact is, dear discouraged soul, that the more you are growing out of love with yourself, the more you are being saved from the power of sin. Wherein lies its fearful potency? Why, in its power to deceive us. It lies to us. It did so to Adam and Eve. It gives us false estimates of values so that we mistake the tinsel for real gold. To be saved from the power of sin, is to have our eyes opened so that we see things in God’s light: it is to know the truth about things all around us, and the truth about ourselves. Satan has blinded the minds of them that believe not, but the Holy Spirit hath shined in our hearts "unto the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:4, 6). ” -Arthur W. Pink
Additional Info
- Date: 3-September
Heys, John A.
Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941. He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955. In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church. He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967. He retired from the active ministry in 1980. He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.