O Worship the King
Sunday Morning Devotion: Week 2
Opening Prayer
All-wise and all-knowing God, you are the Lord of heaven and earth. Nothing truly makes sense apart from you. Forgive me when I try to live in your world as though you don’t exist. Whether it’s the way I view the universe and my place in it, the moral decisions I make every day, my values that I pass on to others, how I understand where I came from, why I’m here, and where I’m going after death, please help me have your true and eternal perspective on all such matters and not that of the world around me. Let my thinking, speaking, and living be radically out of step with the prevailing culture that surrounds me, but give me greater love for those who are a part of it, so I may reach them with the grace and truth of your Gospel. And Lord, I pray that the things I believe will make a genuine difference in the way I live my life, so that I may be holy, even as you are holy. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.
O Worship the King
By Robert Grant
Psalm 104
O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love;
Our Shield and Defender the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
O tell of his might, O sing of his grace,
Whose robe is the light, whose canopy space;
His chariots of wrath the deep thunder-clouds form,
And dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, thy power hath founded of old,
Hath stablished it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.
Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend. Amen.
Key Principles from this Hymn
Principle 1: Worshiping the Sovereign King - The hymn “O Worship the King” extols the glory, power, and love of God, emphasizing his sovereignty over all creation. It calls believers to worship God with gratitude and reverence for his majestic attributes. This principle teaches us the importance of recognizing God’s supreme authority and responding with heartfelt worship, acknowledging him as the King above all kings.
Principle 2: Reflecting on God’s Creation - Through poetic imagery, the hymn portrays God as the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, displaying his might and grace in the wonders of nature. It invites believers to marvel at God’s handiwork, acknowledging his divine provision and care for his creation. This principle prompts us to cultivate a deeper appreciation for God’s creation and to recognize his presence in the beauty and order of the natural world.
Principle 3: Trusting in God’s Faithfulness - Amidst the uncertainties of life, the hymn reassures believers of God’s faithfulness and steadfast love. It acknowledges human frailty and God’s unwavering care, highlighting his role as Protector, Provider, and Redeemer. This principle encourages us to place our trust in God’s character and promises, finding comfort and security in his unchanging nature.
Questions for Personal Reflection and Discussion
1. How does recognizing God as the “Ancient of Days” influence our understanding of his sovereignty and authority over all creation?
2. In what ways does the imagery of God’s power and love in the hymn deepen our appreciation for worship as a response to his majesty?
3. Reflect on a specific aspect of nature that speaks to you of God’s greatness and provision. How does this inspire your worship of him?
4. How does the hymn’s depiction of God’s care for creation challenge our stewardship of the environment and resources entrusted to us?
5. Consider a time when you felt God’s presence and provision in the midst of a storm or trial. How did this experience deepen your trust in his faithfulness?
6. Discuss the significance of God being described as our Maker, Defender, and Redeemer. How does this shape our relationship with him?
7. How can we cultivate a lifestyle of worship and trust in God’s faithfulness in our daily lives, amidst both blessings and challenges?
Related Bible Verses to Reflect Upon
1. Psalm 95:6-7 – “Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.”
2. Psalm 19:1 – “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
3. Psalm 36:5-6 – “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.”
4. Isaiah 40:28 – “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.”
5. Lamentations 3:22-23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Actions Steps
1. Dedicate regular time for personal and communal worship, focusing on God’s majesty, power, and love.
2. Take intentional moments to observe and appreciate God’s creation, reflecting on his presence and provision in the natural world.
3. Practice entrusting your worries and uncertainties to God, relying on his faithfulness and steadfast love in every circumstance.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Gracious Lord and God of peace, I give thanks to you for all Christians everywhere who are growing in their faith. I offer you praise that where these Christians are assembled as local churches, so too is their love increasing. The Lord Jesus taught us that the world will know we are his disciples as we love one another as he loves us. Make that truth an increasing reality in our lives, O Lord. I thank you for the faithfulness of the churches around the world who are afflicted by persecution. Please increase their faith more and more, that your glory will shine, even in the midst of their hardship and suffering. I ask this in the name of the One who suffered on our behalf, Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen. (based on 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4)
Prayer Prompts
Use the following prayer prompts to encourage you to pray beyond your usual prayer requests. These prompts are included here to help get your own creative juices flowing and not to be regarded as strict and legalistic requirements. Use them or do not use them according to your need. May the Lord bless you as you go deeper with him in the holy communion of prayer.
Petition – prayers for yourself
Help me to mature in my faith and to increasingly please God by my thoughts, words, and deeds.
Particular struggles in various relationships
My activities for this day
Other needs
Intercession – prayers for others
My Family
My local church
My denomination
Para-church ministries, particularly Christian education and discipleship
Evangelistic ministries
Other needs
Quotation from Church History
When you sing O Worship the King, I trust that the King will become the center of your thought, and the object of your adoration. “Remember, brethren, we have come here not to hear men, but to hear God; we have not come to hear the voice of the preacher so much as to hear the voice of our Lord in his own word. Be silent, O flesh! Let not the creature intrude! Be hushed and still! Let the King reveal himself, and let him be all in all to our souls.’ (Charles Spurgeon)