For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods … (Psalm 95:3)

Descriptions of God are well worth repeating, for how can one exhaust the greatness of God? The psalm writer was overcome with joy as he contemplated the Lord he worships. He begins his ode:

O come, let us sing for joy to the LORD, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. (Ps 95:1–2)

Four invitations invite the soul to delight in the “rock of our salvation.” Have you ever noticed how the writers of Scripture just can’t get over their appreciation for their salvation? The song never gets stale, the story never drones old—how God saved me. We are constantly reminded how wonderful it is that God, in His grace and mercy, reached into this lost world of sinners and redeemed us. When the world turned dark and oppressive in the Garden of Eden, God provided a suitable covering and prevented mankind from eating of the tree of life while in a fallen state. What a blessing that was, for it preserved the opportunity for restoration by not sealing man’s fate eternally. God provided—and still provides—the opportunity for a rescue from fallenness.

When we fully consider the state of our condemnation, how can we be anything but continually thankful in God’s presence? We are reminded of how unworthy we are. Modern psychologists may tell us such feelings of unworthiness are fostered by a repressive, puritanical society—but what is society but made up of human beings all of whom are fallen. Yes, we are indeed unworthy, and not because of false feelings of inferiority. We are infinitely inferior to a perfect and holy God. Religion may build on that to coerce and manipulate, but our God invites us into His presence. The remedy for our unworthiness is not to cast blame on other people or even on God. The remedy, rather, is to “… draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16).

There is no greater joy than that found in His presence, for His grace is greater than all our sin (Rom 5:20). Is He not great?! No wonder the psalmist continues: “Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand…” (Ps 95:6–7). When we are captured by these thoughts, we join with the writer in proclaiming, “He is indeed a great God and King.”

Lord, I do come into Your presence right now with thanksgiving and worship. You are the great and exalted God and King, the rock of my salvation.