15 October 2007 Devotion for Today "Exalt the Horn" Psalm 148

15 October 2007  Devotion for Today  "Exalt the Horn"  Psalm 148 

(Note: I've been having some problems with my email server lately- trying to correct it. Sorry for the inconvenience) I must say I was rather amused when traveling to Italy at our recent ministers/wives retreat.  The traffic patterns were, may I say, quite different than what I am used to.  Perhaps it was just my perception,  but the drivers seem to be quite erratic and aggressive on the road. It is almost as though the moment they get into the car, they immediately hit the accelerator for high speed, stopping abruptly at traffic lights (maybe).  Thousands upon thousands of motor bikes and scooters whiz their way around the city of Rome, and will run over a pedestrian  before going around him.  I actually saw this happen as a scooterist took off out of a covered parking area and without even stopping,  buzzed out into the busy street.  But he did not see a female pedestrian who crossed the street in front of him.  He struck her in the shoulder, causing her to spin around in circles before falling to the ground. She got back up, clutching her injured shoulder.  The scooterist,  however, did not get up.  He lay on the pavement, stunned for several minutes, though not badly hurt.  However, the next vehicle came barreling out of the parking area at full speed, bearing down upon the injured scooterist.  This man stopped his sleek, southern European sports car just inches from the victims head and madly blasted the horn. He continued doing this, not caring if the scooterist could get up or  not.  The pedestrian began flailing her uninjured arm at the driver of the sports car, speaking excitedly in protest.  The scooterist finally got up and within seconds they all were hurling insults at one another. Not that I could understand them, mind you, just my observation of  the body language.  However, the driver continued to honk his horn.  I was told later that in Italy, there is one essential piece of equipment that must function normally to pass inspection.  Even if the brakes and the tires and the exhaust system fail to meet the saftey requirement- the vehicle will pass if the horn works properly!  I don't think this is exactly what the psalmist had in mind in Psalm  148 when he writes: "Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven.  And He has exalted the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints-of  the children of Israel, a people near to Him.  Praise the Lord." (Vv. 13-14).  The horn was not a saftey instrument in the vehicles of the ancient Hebrews, rather it was an instrument of praise in the Temple  and the Tabernacle.  Often it was a ram's horn blown to call the people of Israel to prayer or to signify the beginning of worship.  At various points throughout the ritual, the priests would blow the horns as the choirs and chanters sang.  As an instrument of praise, it was much preferable than one would hear on the streets of Rome or anywhere else, for that matter.  IT assisted the people and helped to elevate the volume of their praise and enthusiasm for God in worship.  It stirred their hearts every time the horn was played.  Except when larger churches use trumpets in their orchestras we don't  use many horns today in worship. But I did see this bumper-sticker that might bring the ancient and modern understanding of the use of the  horn closer together than I might otherwise have thought:  "Honk if You Love Jesus!"  Have a blessed day!

(From 15 March 2000)