For Yahweh is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs, His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap... (96:4-5)The word "beauty" doesn't come to mind often when I praise God. It seems feminine and not powerful. But the way the psalmist uses the word beauty for God brings completely different images to mind. Like the Swiss Alps that I've been watching each day - beautiful, yet rugged, solid, and terrifying if you climb to the top. Like the cross-cultural workers that I've spent time with over the past several days - beautiful souls, but bodies and hearts that are broken. Beauty can be shallow, but not when applied to mountains or souls and certainly not when applied to God.
A powerful beauty sets him apart. (96:6)
In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might..bow before the beauty of Yahweh. (96:9)
For Yahweh is sheer beauty... (100:5)
So I praise the beauty of God - all that attracts and pleases and satisfies my soul. I praise His beauty that is terrible in its power and holiness. I praise Him for the absolute, sheer perfection of His beauty. And I praise Him that He makes beauty out of my brokenness. We've sung a song here that is very simple but true:
All this pain
I wonder if I’ll ever find my way
I wonder if my life could really change at all
All this earth
Could all that is lost ever be found
Could a garden come up from this ground at all
You make beautiful thingsHere's the youtube link if you want to listen to it.
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
All around
Hope is springing up from this old ground
Out of chaos life is being found in You
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of the dust
You make beautiful things
You make beautiful things out of us
3 comments:
Beautiful, Staci. I'm so glad you're coming home soon.
Thank you Staci and Cici for your steadfastness in leading us...i dont comment much but i am doing the reading and getting so much out of it with the blog. I know there are many of us out there and i want you to know your thoughts do not fall on deaf ears! God is using you mightily!
God is so Good! and His timing is so Beautiful!
Staci, I was just praising God to this very song as I left Cici's house. You'll be happy to know that K-Love is playing it just in time for your return. :)
I too noticed that "terrible beauty". Such a good description.
I also like ch. 100 v. 4 where we're given the password of "Thank You". Don't ever let me forget that, Lord Jesus!!
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