Liturgy: Prayer of Praise and Adoration
This is part two in a series on the liturgy at Renovation Church, which is a part of a larger series on worship. For an explanation of what liturgy is, start here. To go back to the beginning of our series on worship, click here.
It’s Chrismas time. You just gave someone the gift you knew they wanted. You have been looking forward to their reaction for weeks, maybe months. When they set their eyes upon this wonderful gift, they, hopefully, quickly turn to shower praise upon you; “You’re the best!;” “I can’t believe how thoughtful you are!” The gift was wonderful, but not as wonderful as the giver. They opened the gift; they responded to the giver. We, as sinful people, might struggle with receiving praise. But, there is something appropriate about it; there is something good about responding to a giving father, mother, friend, or spouse in praise. How much more appropriate is it to give God praise for who He is?
At the beginning of the worship service, we receive the call to worship. In the call to worship, the Lord calls us into His worship and a part of that call is a reason to worship. The appropriate response to a revelation of who God is will be multiple. God’s holiness has and does lead the saints to collapse in a confession of sin (Isaiah 6:5; 1 John 1:5-7). God graciously provides for our material need, so the saints respond in trust and thanksgiving by joyfully giving a portion to a local Church for the building up of the body in its community (2 Corinthians 8:1-7). Though certain attributes of God might demand one response most particularly, ever attribute calls for praise. Praise and adoration is a one-size-fits-all response to who God is. This is exactly what we do at this point in the liturgy.
Having heard from God the call to worship Him, we respond in a prayer of praise and adoration. Fundamentally, the prayer of praise is about God: His nature, character, and works. When we pray this prayer, you should notice how little we talk about ourselves. We are not thanking God. We are not confessing our sins to Him. We are praising Him for who he is. The times when we refer to ourselves in this prayer, it is always in light of who God is and what He has done and is doing in the life of His people. Our blessedness is always in reference to who God is; He remains the focus of the prayer.
Praise and adoration are of the utmost importance in Christian worship. After eleven chapters of rich gospel theology in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Paul ends in a prayer of praise and adoration for God, His nature, character, and works (Romans 11:36). In another place, Revelation chapters 4 and 5, the heavenly throneroom praises God for who He is (Holy and eternal 4:8-10), His works in creation (4:11), and for His works in salvation (5:9-14). In every case, when God is on display, God’s people respond in praise and adoration. It is fitting and right for God’s people to respond in this way. We might do things in life that are praiseworthy, but God is in and of Himself worthy of all praise. When you hear from the Lord through His word this Lord’s Day, praise and adore Him for who He is, what He has done, and what He is doing.