2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. Here is probably a reference to the special presence of God in the Holy
of Holies above the mercy-seat, and also to the glory which shone forth out of
the cloud which rested above the tabernacle. Everywhere God is present, but
there is a special presence of grace and glory into which us should never come
without the profoundest reverence. We may make bold to come before the
immediate presence of the Lord—for the voice of the Holy Spirit in this psalm
invites us, and when we do draw near to him we should remember his great
goodness to us and cheerfully confess it. Our worship should have reference to
the past as well as to the future; if we do not bless the Lord for what we have
already received, how can we reasonably look for more. We are permitted to bring
our petitions, and therefore we are in honor bound to bring our thanksgivings. And make joyful noise unto him with psalms. We should shout as exaltingly as
those do who triumph in war, and as solemnly as those whose utterance is a
psalm. It is not always easy to unite enthusiasm with reverence, and it is a
frequent fault to destroy one of these qualities while straining after the
other. The perfection of singing is that which unites joy with gravity,
exultation with humility, fervency with sobriety. The invitation given in the
first verse is thus repeated in the second with the addition of directions,
which indicate more fully the intent of the writer. One can imagine David in
earnest tones persuading his people to go up with him to the worship of Jehovah
with sound of harp and hymn, and holy delight. The gladsomeness of his
exhortation is noteworthy. The noise is to be joyful; this quality he
insists upon twice. It is to be feared that this is too much overlooked in
ordinary services; people are so impressed with the idea that they ought to be
serious that they put on the aspect of misery, and quite forget that joy is as
much a characteristic of true worship as solemnity itself.
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