Adoration
by Rev. John Roop
December 6, Sunday – Psalms 148, 149, 150 v 114, 115; Amos 6:1–14; 2 Thess. 1:5–12; Luke 1:57–68
(ESV Daily Office Readings Online)
Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
During Morning Prayer in Advent, this antiphon introduces the appointed Psalms. We pray them in the firm conviction that our King and Savior is indeed coming and that the proper response to his advent – to him – is adoration.
The morning Psalms for the second Sunday of Advent (Ps. 148-150) remind us that Christ’s coming was and will be a cosmic event – with universal consequences – and they call the entire created order to erupt with shouts of adoration.
Psalm 148 beckons all of nature – from heights to depths, from earth to heaven – to praise him: angel hosts, sun and moon, sea-monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and fog, mountains and hills, wild beasts and cattle, creeping things and wingéd birds. Let all these praise the name of the Lord, for his name only is exalted, and his splendor is over earth and heaven. St. Paul reminds us (Rom 8) that all creation groans together awaiting the consummation of all things and its own renewal. Creation groans now but it will praise then, at the Advent of our Lord. Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
Psalm 149 turns its attention specifically to the people of God – to Israel in the original context, but certainly to those of us in Christ Jesus, as well. We are to sing and dance, to play timbrel and harp (tambourine and guitar, piano and organ, bass and violin and flute), to rejoice and praise in the congregation of his people. Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
But, we must be honest; there are some very disturbing images in this Psalm as well, just as there are some disturbing aspects of Christ’s coming again in power and glory. Some will not welcome him. Some will not adore him. Some will position themselves as his enemies. To these, the Psalm and the antiphon come as both exhortation and warning. Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
Psalm 150 recapitulates this panoply of adoration. God has returned to his holy temple, or, rather, all creation has been revealed as the temple of the holy God who is everywhere present, filling all things. Everything that has breath is called upon to praise him. This Psalm ends – the entire Psalter ends – with a shout of Hallelujah! And why? Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
We have the privilege of anticipating this great future day now, in this present moment. We can articulate the praises of an inarticulate or groaning creation. We can sing and dance and shout and praise God the Father, through the Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit as we await the coming of our Lord.
Our King and Savior now draws near: O come, let us adore him.
