How does Psalm 22:23 connect with the New Testament teachings on worship? Psalm 22:23 — The Verse in View “You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor Him! All you offspring of Israel, revere Him!” Why This Verse Matters for Christian Worship • The command is three-fold—praise, honor, revere—covering heart, mind, and posture. • It summons “all” who fear God, anticipating the widened family of faith revealed in the New Testament (Galatians 3:28-29). From David’s Pen to Christ’s Lips • Psalm 22 is Messianic. Jesus cites verse 1 on the cross (Matthew 27:46). • Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22 and places it on Jesus’ lips: “I will proclaim Your name to My brothers; I will sing Your praises in the assembly.” • Because Christ fulfills the psalm, the praise commanded in verse 23 becomes the natural response of His redeemed people. New Testament Threads That Tie In 1. A People Summoned to Praise – 1 Peter 2:9: we are “a royal priesthood…so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him.” – Revelation 5:9-10: heaven’s chorus of the redeemed echoes the psalm’s call. 2. Heart Posture: Honor and Reverence – Hebrews 12:28-29: “let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and awe.” – Colossians 3:16-17: singing, gratitude, and doing “everything…in the name of the Lord Jesus.” 3. The Fear of the Lord Reframed – Acts 9:31: early churches “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit.” – Philippians 2:12-13: serving “with fear and trembling,” yet empowered by God. 4. Corporate Dimension – Ephesians 5:19: “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” – Hebrews 10:24-25: gathering to spur one another on—exactly what Psalm 22:23 envisions in the assembly of Israel. 5. Sacrificial Praise – Romans 12:1: bodies as “a living sacrifice.” – Hebrews 13:15: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise.” Putting It All Together • Psalm 22:23 anticipates worship that is Christ-centered, congregational, reverent, and joy-filled. • The New Testament doesn’t replace this call; it amplifies it, extending the invitation to every believer—Jew and Gentile alike—through the finished work of Jesus. • Whenever the Church gathers to praise, honor, and revere the Lord, Psalm 22:23 is being lived out in real time. |
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