O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth. Psalm 96:9

Often as I am reading my Bible, certain expressions will pop out to grab my attention. It’s the Holy Spirit’s golden highlighting of the Word, usually pertinent to some knothole where I am stuck. This morning I was listening to the soft, rhythmic rain playing on our tin roof, a sound that is soothing as a lullaby when my heart and mind need God’s gentling and there came to mind, “the beauty of holiness” from the Psalms. Now I know what beauty is and meditate on holiness, but when two such powerful words are conjoined, it usually means there’s more to it, especially when repeated in Scripture.

In the Old Testament, (1. Chronicles 16.29; 2. Chronicles 20:21) the phrase is found in prayers when preparing for battle which for the Israelites always and foremost included worship. It refers to the priests being arrayed in the splendid, Torah ordained garments of their religious office as they went into battle, so as to glorify Yahweh, victorious over pagans and their idols. They were ceremoniously dressed for battle, visibly consecrated and holy unto the Lord who is HOLY. I imagine that the Canaanite enemies also paraded magicians, soothsayers and priests who were dressed up for their gods, probably in fierce, hideous gear with lots of skulls and horns designed to terrorize their enemies. (Maybe I’ve watched too many apocalyptic movies!) The contrast between the two couldn’t have been more stark. The Hebrew priests manifested Yahweh, great in power, majesty and above all holiness, the living presence of the Almighty going before them. All of the pagan tribes , the “…ites” of Canaan were invoking and serving their gods, subservient to the unholy one who “steals, kills and destroys.”

In the Psalms, the call to worship in the beauty (splendor, majesty, magnificence) of holiness correlates to God’s name and calls forth the glory due to Him. Psalm 29 speaks of the Lord’s power in natural elements, of thunder and lightning, His voice which splinters trees, divides flames of fire and causes deer to give birth. His holiness is in such majesty and beauty it shakes the natural planet, strips it bare and causes all the earth the cry out, “Glory, Glory Glory.

What then is the response of today’s worshipers before “the Lord, enthroned on the flood” who sits as King forever? In every Scriptural reference I found, an encounter with “the beauty of Holiness” causes a violent response, to fall down in fear and trembling before God. In the German translation, it is literally throwing oneself down before the Lord in awe, fear and absolute awareness His Divinity. God’s beauty, holiness and glory are more than we can bear. There’s nothing quaint or picturesque about it. We do not climb mountains just for the view.

As New Testament Christians, we no longer need resplendent priests to glorify God for us, especially in the face of enemies. Jesus is Himself our High Priest in whose kingdom we are called to be His priests. Instead of gorgeous clothing, we’re now arrayed in Christ Jesus, far more beautiful, holy and wondrous than mind or imagination can conceive. Shall we not honor Him with our love but more so with the fear and trembling due to His glorious Name? To Him be all honor and glory and worship forever!