Wednesday 26th
Revelation 4:11
NIV – ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.’
ESV – ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’
‘Let me sing for the glory of heaven like a sunbeam has swept o’er my heart.’
S. Trevor Francis – RH 44
This hymn does not have a Scripture reference above it in the hymnal, so I have chosen the one I have used.
As I was preparing the devotions for this week I was looking out of the window (I’m writing this on May 17th) and the tulips are still in bloom, I have never known a year when they have lasted so long, and because I planted them in intervals they have lasted even longer, and will probably still have some in a week or two, and while looking out, the words of this hymn came to mind, ‘Let me sing for the glory of heaven . . .’ the second and third verses says, ‘If thy works praise thee, Giver of good, if the sun shines his praise unto thee, if the wind, as it sighs through the wood, makes a murmur of song from each tree— then these lips, sure, a tribute shall bring, though unworthy the praises must be; shall all nature be vocal and sing, and no psalm of rejoicing from me?’ It is a challenge that if nature (and I see it in the beauty of the tulips as they stand in rows like a choir) cry out praise to the Lord God, then surely praise should also flow from these lips of mine. In yesterday’s devotion the challenge was for a thousand tongues to sing, in todays it is for lips that will speak out, shout out, sing out praise to Almighty God.
The fifth verse tells us the type of song we should be singing, ‘A song of a sinner forgiven, and a song that is music to thee; a song of a pilgrim to heaven, yes, a song from a sinner like me!’ it is a personal song of praise, praise that comes from my own heart as I (or as you) contemplate what Christ has done and is still doing as I make my pilgrimage, as I journey toward heaven, and yet the wonder is as is seen in verse 4 ‘And rejoice, though surrounded with praises, thou wilt still hear a song such as mine.’ When we are alone he hears our worship and praise, when we are in fellowship together in a local Church setting where we may be 30 – 40 gathered together, he hears our individual worship, praise, and even if we are in a mass gathering where the number may be a thousand or more, he still hears our worship, praise, that is not only the corporate voice but the individuals voice, ‘though surrounded with praises (which also includes the heavenly host) thou wilt still hear a song such as mine.
In the book of Revelation, we read of the elders bowing down before the throne and worshipping, we read also of the angels numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, ‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing . . . To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever.’ The day is coming when we will no longer sing ‘a song of a pilgrim to heaven’, we will sing as pilgrims who have arrived in heaven, and what a joy it is going to be to be able to join with the elders around the throne, with the myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands of angels and with all the redeemed of the Lamb to worship, to sing praise to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. And guess what? Even though the number will be innumerable, the One who sits upon the throne and the Lamb will still hear a voice such as mine! (and yours)
Let me sing, for the glory of heaven
Like a sunbeam has swept o’er my heart;
I would praise thee for sins all forgiven,
For thy love, which shall never depart.
If thy works praise Thee, Giver of good,
If the sun shines his praise unto thee,
If the wind, as it sighs through the wood,
Makes a murmur of song from each tree—
Then these lips, sure, a tribute shall bring,
Though unworthy the praises must be;
Shall all nature be vocal and sing,
And no psalm of rejoicing from me?
O wonderful, glorious Redeemer!
I would worship thee, Saviour Divine;
And rejoice, though surrounded with praises,
Thou wilt still hear a song such as mine.
A song of a sinner forgiven
and a song that is music to thee
A song of a pilgrim to heaven.
Yes, a song from a sinner like me.