A recent Pew Research study said that the most important reason people choose a church to attend is the quality of the sermons preached. Other reasons include feeling welcomed by church leaders, the worship style of the congregation, the location, the quality of the children’s ministry, having friends or family members in the congregation, and having opportunities to volunteer for ministry. Now, all of these are good things – but did you notice that most of them revolve around what we can get out of the worship experience? The sad truth is that most Americans approach worship as consumers, looking for the package that will benefit them the most, albeit in various ways.

How different is the attitude of the psalmist, for his focus is completely on God. Notice that the psalm begins with a simple call for everyone to praise God: those who have come into the Temple (verse 2), those who are involved in the priesthood (verses 19 and 20), indeed all of God’s people, the whole house of Israel (verse 19).

And why are we to worship God and sing His praise? Verses 5 through 7 remind us of the tremendous power God demonstrated in His creation of the world. And verses 8 through 11 recount how God used this power to defeat so many of the unbelieving nations. And just for good measure, the psalmist reminds us that all the false gods of all those other nations were completely helpless to stop the true God from destroying them and their followers (verses 15-18).

But while we worship God for Who He is, we should also remember with gratitude all the things that He has done for us. After all, the Lord chose Israel to be His people (verse 4), bringing them out of Egypt and giving them a place to live (verse 12), even while He brought judgment down on the Egyptians and the other unbelieving nations that tried to stand in their way.

But these historical facts should give us Christians even more reason to worship God. For all who trust in Jesus become spiritual descendants of Abraham, thus inheriting the promises that God made to Israel (Romans 4:16). Moreover, what could be a clearer demonstration both of the holy justice and the unconditional compassion of God (verse 14) than the cross of Christ?

So, as we stand in the house of the Lord this week, instead of focusing on what we can get out of worship, why don’t we seek instead just to praise the Lord? Given Who He is and what He has done for us, doesn’t He deserve that?

Psalm 135 (NASB)

Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD; Praise Him, O servants of the LORD,
2 You who stand in the house of the LORD, In the courts of the house of our God!
3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.
4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His own possession.
5 For I know that the LORD is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.
6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes lightnings for the rain; Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries.
8 He smote the first-born of Egypt, Both of man and beast.
9 He sent signs and wonders into your midst, O Egypt, Upon Pharaoh and all his servants.
10 He smote many nations, And slew mighty kings,
11 Sihon, king of the Amorites, And Og, king of Bashan, And all the kingdoms of Canaan;
12 And He gave their land as a heritage, A heritage to Israel His people.
13 Thy name, O LORD, is everlasting, Thy remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations.
14 For the LORD will judge His people, And will have compassion on His servants.
15 The idols of the nations are but silver and gold, The work of man’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they do not speak; They have eyes, but they do not see;
17 They have ears, but they do not hear; Nor is there any breath at all in their mouths.
18 Those who make them will be like them, Yes, everyone who trusts in them.
19 O house of Israel, bless the LORD; O house of Aaron, bless the LORD;
20 O house of Levi, bless the LORD; You who revere the LORD, bless the LORD.
21 Blessed be the LORD from Zion, Who dwells in Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!