OUR DAILY BREAD: WE BOW DOWN

[cimi]

July 6
Friday


WE BOW
DOWN

READ:
Psalm 95
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Oh come, let us
worship and bow
down; let us kneel
before the LORD
our Maker.
__Psalm 95:6
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The ancient Greeks and Romans rejected kneeling as a part of their worship. They said that kneeling was unworthy of a free man, unsuitable for the culture of Greece, and appropriate only for barbarians. The scholars Plutarch and theophrastus regarded kneelling as an expression of superstition. Aristotle called it a barbaric form of behavior. This belief, however, was never held by God's people.

In Psalm 95:6, the psalmist indicated that kneeling expressed a deep reverence for God. In this one verse he used three different Hebrew words to express what the attitude and position of the worshiper should be.

First, he used the word worship, which means to fall prostrate as a sign of honor to the Lord, with an associated meaning of allegiance to Him. The second word he used was bow. This means to sink down to one's knees, giving repect and worship to the Lord. The psalmist then used the word kneel, which means to be on one's knees giving praise to God.

According to the psalmist, kneeling in God's presence is a sign of reverence rather than a barbaric form of behavior. The important thing, however, is not just our physical postion but a humble posture of the heart. __Marvin Williams
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~~~~~~~~~~~~Almighty, matchless, glorious God,~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Inhabiting eternity,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~I bow to You and give You praise,~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~In awe that You can live in me. __Sper~~~~~~~~~~
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Our attitude in worship is far more important
than the position of our worship.

***************Today's Bible Reading__Psalm 95******************

1 Oh come, let us sing
to the LORD! Let us shout
joyfully to the Rock of
our salvation. 2 Let us
come before His presence
with thanksgiving; let us
shout joyfully to Him with
psalms. 3 For the LORD
is the great God, and the
great King above all gods.

4 In His hand are the deep
places of the earth; the
heights of the hills are His
also. 5 The sea is His, for
He made it; and His hands
formed the dry land.

6 Oh come, let us worship
and bow down; let us kneel
before the LORD our Maker.

7 For He is our God, and
we are the people of His
pasture, and the sheep of
His hand.

Today, if you will hear
His voice: 8"Do not harden
your hearts, as in the
rebellion, as in the day of
trial in the wilderness,

9 When your fathers tested
Me; they tried Me, though
they saw My work. 10 For
forty years I was grieved
with that generation, and
said, 'It is a people who
go astray in their hearts,
and they do not know My
ways.' 11 So I swore im My
wrath, 'They shall not enter
My rest.'"

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Though Psalm 95 is untitled and anonymous, Hebrews 4:7 cites
verses 7-8 and says that they were written by David. In this song,
the king calls us to worship God for two reasons: First, because
of His power displayed in creation (vv.1-7). Second, we are called
to worship Him because of His power displayed in chastening
His wayward people (vv.8-11). In both cases, He is above all and
deserving of our worship. __WEC