A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 96

A Devotional Journey Through the Psalms: Psalm 96
-Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow

Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! (Psalm 96:9)
 
Beauty is one of those special "welcoming" words. It's a word we like to invite into our thoughts and set a table for in our hearts. We were made to identify, enjoy, and celebrate beauty.
 
Beauty is something we want to bring into the light so we can look upon it, something we want to bring into our conversation so we can talk about it, and something we want to give to others so they can be blessed by it.
 
We were made to love beautiful things—beautiful art brings us to museums; beautiful flowers draw us to gardens; beautiful sunsets draw us to the western sky; beautiful music draws us to the symphony hall.

We were made to delight in beauty, and it is the beauty of the Lord that fills us with the greatest of all joys. The Lord invites us to draw close to Him, to look upon His beautiful character, and to examine His ways. The closer we come, the more beauty we see.
 
In Isaiah 6:3 we read, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts." God the Father is holy, Jesus Christ is holy, and the Holy Spirit is holy.
 
Another way of understanding the word "holy" is "beauty." Each person of the Godhead is beautiful because each person is holy. Their character is beautiful, their nature is beautiful, their ways are beautiful, their attitudes are beautiful, their glory is beautiful, and their presence in our hearts is beautiful.
 
Every aspect of beauty is found in its fullness, in God alone. God has no stains, no impurities, and no defilement. His holiness allows us to delight in Him, enjoy Him, and behold Him in deep adoration.
 
Dr. G. Campbell Morgan once said, "The Holy Spirit is the Creator of beauty."
 
This is what the Bible says about the beauty of God's holiness:
HOLINESS is glorious (Exodus 15:11).
HOLINESS is the true identity of the True God (Exodus 15:11).
HOLINESS guarantees that God's promises are true (Psalm 89:35).
HOLINESS brings the memories that produce thankfulness (Psalm 97:12).
HOLINESS is the garment a warrior wears into victory (Psalm 110:3).
HOLINESS will always lead us in the right direction (Isaiah 35:8).
 
All the beautiful things of God are brought to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our beauty maker. Beauty is found wherever there is truth, wherever there is goodness, wherever there is righteousness, wherever there is love. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to pour out the beauty of the Lord upon our lives.
 
In that day the LORD of hosts will be for a crown of glory and a diadem of beauty to the remnant of His people (Isaiah 28:5 NKJV).
 
The Holy Spirit's beautiful work means He purifies us, sanctifies us, cleanses us, and washes us clean. How beautiful are His ways with us; how beautiful is His work within us as He conforms us to the image of Jesus Christ.
 
We don't need to have a big bank account to be rich. The beauty of a Godly character is that it enriches every aspect of our lives. It makes even the poorest person a wealthy person.

The wonderful thing about the beauty of the Lord is that it doesn't diminish within us through the passing years, but rather increases instead. His beauty doesn't bring less to our lives; it brings more. The magnificence of His beauty takes us to higher ground and greater depths of joy. It is the Lord's beauty that deepens our walk with Him and our love for Him.
 
 
Insight: In his book, Abba Cry, Don Lessin shares this observation about the beautiful atmosphere his wife brought to their home, “Often, when my wife is working in the house, I hear a soft and tender sound coming from her inmost being. In the midst of doing dishes, ironing clothes, or when she is hurrying about to get something done, I hear the word, “Jesus” being spoken.”

#psalms #devotional #devotion #roylessin #meetinginthemeadow

©2026 Roy Lessin, Meeting in the Meadow. Photo by Marina Bromley. Used with permission, all rights reserved.
 
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