“Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” – 1 Chronicles 16:29

I’m not going to lie; it is a little refreshing to move past the repetitive “in God’s favor/out of God’s favor” exchange found in 1 and 2 Kings. However, if my memory serves correct, there is much of the same to follow in the next too books.

Nevertheless, we have this beautiful poem written by David after the ark was returned to Jerusalem that is evocative of prayers offered in Isaiah and of course the Psalms. The entire song has several beautiful lines, but only one that uses the Hebrew word for worship (”shachah” in case you’ve forgotten).

One of the unique aspects of this verse is it provides a basic definition of what true worship should be. “Ascribe” is a fancy word for “give,” which of course means present someone with something. So we are to give to God the recognition and praise He deserves; a response to what He has done and is doing. But what do we give the one being in the universe who really doesn’t need anything? We offer the only thing we have to give: our life – thoughts, actions, language, everything. But it is not enough to just say you’ve given it all. You have to approach Him, direct your gift towards Him, and leave it at His feet. It is a gift after all. Who really wants to be an Indian giver to God?

Worship and giving go hand in hand. If it is not to God then it is to something else. And we have seen in the last several books how anything other than God is a bad idea. There is only One who deserves your worship and only One you should be giving your worship to. When the author of 1 Chronicles tells us to “worship the Lord in the splendor (or beauty) of holiness,” he is literally saying we should clothe ourselves, surround our minds and our bodies, with everything that is right, and pure, and holy. That is how we should worship God: release our grip on everything the world is dangling before us and give Him our everything by living a life that pleases Him.