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Exegeting the Hymns #73 - Our Great God

1/29/2019

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Picture
Our Great God
w/m - Johnny Mac Powell / Fernando Ortega

Eternal God, unchanging
Mysterious and unknown
Your boundless love unfailing
In grace and mercy shown
Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight
Around your glorious throne
They raise their voices day and night
In praise to you alone

Hallelujah!
Glory be to our great God
Hallelujah!
Glory be to our great God!

Lord, we are weak and frail,
Helpless in the storm
Surround us with your angels
Hold us in your arms
Our cold and ruthless enemy
His pleasure is our harm
Rise up, oh Lord, and he will flee
Before our Sovereign God

Let every creature in the sea
And every flying bird
Let all the mountains, all the fields
And valleys of the earth
Let all the moons and all the stars
In all the universe
Sing praises to the Living God
Who rules them by His word

Our Great God is an amazing worship song that not only has great theology worth hiding in our heart, but also leads the worshiper in an outpouring of praise. To me, this is the perfect combination in a worship song. It is completely God-focused.  

Eternal God, unchanging, mysterious and unknown. This is not saying we cannot have a relationship with this God, but He is “unknown” in that we cannot comprehend all that He is. It’s like my iPhone. I can turn it on and make calls and play games and check my calendar, but if you were to open it up and explain to me how it works, I would be completely lost. We can know what God has revealed about Himself, but it is far from exhaustive. Your boundless love unfailing in grace and mercy shown. The contrast between the first and second lines should be humbling to us… This God, who is eternal, mysterious, and unchanging in His perfections, shows love and mercy to us who, in no way, deserve it.

Bright seraphim in ceaseless flight around your glorious throne: they raise their voices day and night in praise to you alone. Ephesians 3:10 tells us that “God’s multi-faceted wisdom may now be made known through the church to the rulers and authorities in the heavens.” In other words, God teaches Spirit beings through the grace He shows in saving us through Christ.  

Hallelujah! Glory be to our great God. While the verses speak the details of God’s greatness, the chorus leads the worshiper in resounding praise. I can think of no greater phrase for God’s children to sing to Him than this.

Lord, we are weak and frail, helpless in the storm. Surround us with your angels. Hold us in your arms. In stark contrast with God’s exhaustive power is our exhausted weakness. Anything we try to accomplish in our own strength is quickly overwhelmed by the onslaught of life. Without Him, we can do nothing. It is in our weakness that His strength is put on display.  

Our cold and ruthless enemy, his pleasure is our harm. Rise up, oh Lord, and he will flee before our Sovereign God. As sons and daughters of God, we have a target on our backs. As the song “A Mighty Fortress” says, speaking of our “Ancient foe”, “On earth is not his equal”. We cannot fight the enemy alone, in fact, we cannot fight him at all. It is God who limits Satan’s reach. Our job is to call on the name of the Lord and He will save us.

Let every creature in the sea and every flying bird, let all the mountains, all the fields and valleys of the earth, let all the moons and all the stars in all the universe, sing praises to the Living God Who rules them by His word. Luke tells us that if the disciples of Jesus kept silent, the rocks would cry out. Even if they make no audible sound of praise, all creation, all that is made cries out at how awesome the Creator is. The heavens declare the glory of our great God!

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    Author

    Bill Itzel has been a worship leader and singer/songwriter for over 30 years and is based in Westminster, MD.  His family tours and leads worship around the country.  Bill and his family attend Belcroft Bible Church in Bowie, MD.  This is a blog about congregational worship and the latest news in the The Itzel's ministry.

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        • Mountain Climber
        • How Much More Glory
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Step By Step
        • At The Cross (Love Ran Red)
        • He Is Risen, Hallelujah
        • Jesus Is Enough
        • There is Hope
        • Burn the Ships
        • Last Man Standing
        • This is Your Life
        • Dead Man Walking
        • Jerusalem
      • Gift of Faith >
        • You Amaze Me
        • I Got Saved
        • Gift of Faith
        • May The Peoples Praise You
        • Why Was I A Guest?
        • Lord, We Remember
        • A Mighty Fortress
        • His Love Runs Deep
        • Lord, Save Me From Me
        • Jesus, Thank You
        • Jerusalem
      • Hope >
        • Brethren We Have Met To Worship
        • Firm in the Faith
        • There is Hope (Siri's Song)
        • Lord, I Adore You
        • The Sovereign God of Love
        • The Solid Rock
        • He Will Hold Me Fast
        • Get To Work
        • Our Great God
        • At Calvary
        • I Will Sing of My Redeemer
        • Give Me Jesus
      • The Glorious Trial >
        • He is Risen Hallelujah
        • The Glorious Trial
        • Because You Love Me
        • Power of the Cross
        • How Firm a Foundation
        • Don't Be Afraid
        • Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
        • A Light In The Dark
        • Band of Brothers
        • Grace Greater than our Sin
      • XXV >
        • All Hail The Power
        • How Long?
        • Truth Is The Way
      • Sovereign >
        • Come Thou Fount
        • Almighty
        • In Christ Alone
        • At The Cross
        • All I Have Is Christ
        • Come As You Are
        • Amazing Grace
        • Behold Our God
        • Whom Shall I Fear
        • Sovereign
        • It Is Well
      • The New Life >
        • Burn The Ships
        • Draw The Line
        • Slow Fade
        • Thank You God For Saving Me
        • Miraculum
        • Jekyll & Hyde
        • Blessed Be Your Name
        • Believe
        • It Is Finished
        • The Gift
      • I Am A Christian >
        • When You Forgive
        • Write My Hurts In The Sand
        • I Am A Christian
        • But for the Grace of God Go I
        • My God Is Bigger
        • Investing in Gold
        • Saving My Best for First
        • Roots
        • Don't Water Down The Gospel
        • Defenders of the Faith
      • Live It Up >
        • Power and Might
        • Psalm 100
        • Plastic People
      • Revolutionary War >
        • Revolutionary War
        • Rebelling Against the Weather
        • Chained to a Lie
        • Always Singing
      • UP >
        • Power and Might
        • Step by Step
        • Love The Lord
        • I'd Rather Have Jesus
        • Psalm 100
        • When I Survey
        • You are There
        • Names
        • Let Everything That Hath Breath
        • Weak
      • Throwback >
        • The Hard Way
        • Mercy Rained Down
        • Free
        • Sweet Sacrifice
      • Mountain Climber >
        • Mountain Climber
        • Fly Free
        • Cries of the Forgotten
        • Champion of the People
        • Hide Me in Your Hand
        • Look to the One
        • Can You Hear Me Now?
        • Great is Thy Faithfulness
      • Misfit Family Christmas >
        • Hark The Herald Angels Sing
        • Mary Did You Know?
        • Emmanuel
        • Island of Misfit Toys
        • Sharing
        • Love Was Born Christmas Night
      • Last Man Standing - 2008 >
        • Last Man Standing
        • Minute Man
        • Think On These Things
        • Do Hard Things
        • Break The Chain
        • Roll Call of Faith
        • Beautiful Day
        • How Much More Glory
        • Great Expectations
        • You are There
      • Flawed - 2007 >
        • War Fatigue
        • My Burden
        • One of Those Days
        • Save Me From Myself
        • Create in Me a Clean Heart
        • An Inconvenient Truth
        • At World's End
        • I've Got No Problem With That
        • Jesus is Enough
        • Weak
        • Pray
      • Soldiers - 2006 >
        • This is Your Life
        • God is Still God
        • Soldier
        • Stand Up
        • Follow Me
        • Barbarians at the Gate
        • Forgotten
      • Guns Blazin' - 2005 >
        • Guns Blazin'
        • When the Rubber Meets the Road
        • Words of Love
      • It Takes a Family - 2004 >
        • A Closed Mouth Gathers No Foot
      • Return of the King - 2003 >
        • Return of the King
    • 1990 to 2002 >
      • Dedicated - 2002 >
        • The Last Days
      • Dead Man Walkin' - 2001 >
        • Dead Man Walkin'
      • Seasons - 2001 >
        • Blessed Be The Name
        • Another Year Is Dawning
      • The Test - 2000 >
        • This is Just a Test
      • 2 Natures >
        • 2 Natures
      • Beware of the Dogs >
        • Beware of the Dogs
        • The War
      • Praise Soup >
        • I Will Praise and Worship
        • It Mattered To This One
      • Play by Play >
        • This is my Son
      • Held For Ransom >
        • Politically Incorrect
      • Christmas
      • The Live Experience >
        • I Believe in You
        • Hero
      • Game Over >
        • How Much More Glory
        • The Lion's Coming Back
      • Family Values >
        • Where the Soul Never Dies
      • Live By The Sword >
        • Hard to Believe
      • Step on Out >
        • Let us Live
      • The Stand >
        • Do it God's Way
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