Praise and Worship Music (1)

The Rock!  His work is perfect, for all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He.”  Deuteronomy 32:4  NASB

The Rock! – You’re standing on the banks of the Jordan.  You’ve been waiting for this day for forty years.  Your parents have died, along with all your friends’ parents.  But they passed along this hope to you.  “One day you will stand on the river’s edge.  One day you will enter the Land.”  Today is that day!

The great leader, Moshe, prophet of God, addresses the throng.  Almost with disbelief you learn that he will not cross over.  Joshua will lead you into the Land.  But Moshe has one more gift to you and to all who wait.  He has delivered the Torah, God’s instructions for life in the Land, once more.  Your parents told you about the day when God Himself delivered this code of conduct.  They told you that they shook with fear when the Lord settled on the mountain.  They taught you Torah since the time you were able to remember.  And now the day is here!

Suddenly Moshe breaks into song.  It is the first song of praise and worship.  Here’s how it begins:

Ha-tzur

tamiym pa-a-lo

ki kol-d’ra-kav mishpat

El emunah ve-eyn avel

Tzadik ve-yashar Hoo.

We don’t know the tune anymore, but we can certainly study the lyrics.  What we discover is the amazing depth of Moshe’s song.

“The Rock!” (Ha-tzur).  Most English translations add “He is” but the Hebrew text doesn’t need this.  Perhaps Moshe’s song begins with a triumphal shout!  The Rock!  In Hebrew metaphor, God is as solid as could be.  He is the firm foundation, the mountain of stone, the unshakeable granite beneath our feet.  The Rock!  Here we stand!  We will not be moved.  Can you hear it?  The thundering clap of hands.  The drum roll.  The entire congregation in one voice shouting, “The Rock!”  This is victory we can touch, see and feel.  Here before us in the Jordan.  God’s promise delivered.  The Rock once more confirmed.

Tamiym pa-a-lo” (perfect His work).  The second thought draws another equivalence.  If God and Rock are equal, so are perfect and work.  Tamiym is an adjective meaning “blameless, complete” and in a moral sense, “true, virtuous, upright, righteous.”  In more than half of its occurrences, it is about the sacrificed animal without blemish.  Moshe combines this pregnant word with po’al, the Hebrew word for what is performed or completed.  Po’al emphasizes the result of the action (from pa’al – to do or make).  Everything God does is blameless, complete and upright.  And buried in that thought is sacrifice, even the sacrifice of God Himself.  It too is done perfectly.

God unshakeable, God of unmovable foundation, is the God of sacrifice, of blameless accomplishment.  The Rock is the Altar, the place where God demonstrates His complete reliability.

You’re ready to cross the river, but before you do, Moshe reminds you that you did not arrive on the bank by your own effort.  You will not cross because you earned it.  Nor will your occupation of the Land depend on your strength and cunning.  This is God’s day.  This is His plan.  The Rock has arrived at the river and the way is about to be parted.

Topical Index:  ha-tzur, the Rock, Moshe, Deuteronomy 32:4, perfect, work, tamiym, po’al

 

 

 

 

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David Rodriguez

Buen Sábado, Por favor, necesitamos que vuelva el ministerio de la pagina en español, no saben al habla hispana cuanto significaría esto. Dios les bendiga. Oremos por que pronto podamos tener la palabra de hoy en español también.

Rick Hazelton

What a great illustration of Grace in Torah! God is good!

Godwin

He Skip,

Today you hit the right cord again. As I read the text , I could feel the same sense of awe that the people who heard Moshe felt. What an awesome God we serve…..the confidence, the hope, the power, the access we have to Him, the glory of His presence. Wow! I can’t wait to deliver this message tomorrow. He is the Rock…..my Rock…..His work is Perfect…complete, fully accomplished …nothing to be added or substracted…this is the G-d we serve.

CYndee

I can imagine the people also singing Psalm 150.

“Hallelu et Adoni” from “Desert Rain” Paul Wilbur

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pudhl8I-tcU 4 MIN

carl roberts

“Tamiym pa-a-lo” (perfect His work). The victory was foreshadowed, but it was not yet fulfilled. Canaan was yet to be conquered. There were more battles yet to fight. The conquest and possession of the land of promise had not yet happened, but there they stood- amazed – G-d had led them to the yet another crossing point. Israel now had a history with G-d. And the way they knew their future- on the other side of the river Jordan-was by looking at their past- G-d was faithful. Faithful to deliver. Faithful to redeem. Faithful to save, secure and supply. “Let us (too) cross over.” This was a day of great celebration.
There was yet another day of great celebration. A Savior announced to the world- “Accomplished/completed/paid in full” “Tetalesti”. Yes, there is a firm foundation, the mountain of stone, the unshakeable granite beneath our feet. The Rock! The cross of the crucified Christ. -Here we stand! Because He lives- we live!
Now who are the ones who should be celebrating? -We are. We should be showing those folks how to throw a party! Go G-d! “Christ has risen from the dead and has become the first-fruits of them that slept.” Do you know what first-fruits represent?- there is more to come! lol! Hallelujah! Praise the name of ADONAI. Risen-Glorious-Wonderful-Savior-Redeemer-Comforter-Shepherd-Friend.
“Rejoice in the LORD always,- and again I say..-‘rejoice!’