Prepare for Worship (weekend of April 23)

Date
April 23, 2021
Author
Mark Lautenschlager
Category
Personal Worship, Prepare for Worship

Hey Church!

We have a new song to sing this Sunday! It’s called “Good Grace” by Hillsong United and I think you’re going to love it! Click on the link to watch Hillsong United perform it live. The lyrics are pasted below for your reference.

Good Grace

Verse 1
People come together
Strange as neighbours our blood is one
Children of generations
Of every nation of Kingdom come

Chorus
Don’t let your heart be troubled
Hold your head up high don’t fear no evil
Fix your eyes on this one truth
God is madly in love with you
Take courage hold on be strong
Remember where our help comes from

Verse 2
Jesus our redemption
Our salvation is in His blood
Jesus Light of heaven
Friend forever His Kingdom come

Bridge
Swing wide all you heavens
Let the praise go up as the walls come down
All creation everything with breath repeat the sound
All His children clean hands pure hearts
Good grace good God His Name is Jesus

Joel Houston © 2018 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License # 692967

The song is largely based on Psalm 24:

A Psalm of David.

1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,
the world and those who dwell therein,
2 for he has founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
who does not lift up his soul to what is false
and does not swear deceitfully.
5 He will receive blessing from the Lord
and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 Such is the generation of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And be lifted up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
8 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle!
9 Lift up your heads, O gates!
And lift them up, O ancient doors,
that the King of glory may come in.
10 Who is this King of glory?
The Lord of hosts,
he is the King of glory! Selah

In verse seven, “Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in,” the gates to the city are personified as lifting up their heads in triumph. The implication is that the mighty King has returned from battle, victorious. As the Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it so beautifully, “Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.” The song “Good Grace”–like Psalm 24–is a triumphant song of victory that celebrates King Jesus who alone is worthy to ascend the hill of the Lord (Zion, i.e. God’s heavenly dwelling place) and for whom the gates of glory open.

The writer of “Good Grace” described his song as “like a big hug” because of what a comfort it is to know that we have been given victory in Jesus’ Name (1 Cor. 15:57). It’s as good as done! We are part of His heavenly army, wreaking havoc upon the spiritual forces of this world until our King returns and ushers us into His eternal Kingdom. When we sing the “whoa” section of this song on Sunday, let’s sing it with all of our guts, imagining it to be the battle cry that steels the hearts of the righteous and strikes terror in the camp of the wicked.

If you’re up for it, watch a great movie this weekend that depicts ancient battles and the courage of those who fight in them. Listen for the war cry! (They practically all have them) And consider what it means that your valiant King knows you by name, loves you more deeply than you can imagine, and thus has promised to subdue you to Himself, rule and defend you, and restrain and conquer all His and our enemies.

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
the right hand of the LORD exalts,
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!”

Your brother,
Ryan

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