22 I will tell of thy name to my brethren; 

in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee: 

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! 

all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, 

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel! 

After the humiliation and rejection of the crucifixion, we join the triumphant praise and exaltation section of this Psalm. It starts with a line that is repeated in the book of Hebrews. Where it states that He is not ashamed of us, even though in our weakness we are often ashamed of Him.

10  For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through suffering. 11 For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified have all one origin. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brethren,  saying, “I will proclaim thy name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will praise thee.” Heb. 2:10-12 

His name is to be proclaimed. Not by ministers or priests but rather by “I” and the proclaiming is in the piel infinitive tense, which means “I” is caused to proclaim, recount, relate this information forever. We cannot stop, we must speak out. The only people who are mad at us for speaking the truth are those people who are living a lie. Keep speaking the truth.

I will praise Him in the congregation. It is only in the congregation that our admiration and reverence for His great act of love is even understood. (See Also: The Ekklesia)

The Psalm sounds as though it is restricted to just the children of Israel, however the writer of Hebrews is clear that all are children of God.

16 Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. 17 I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. 18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. Is. 8:16-18

This was the declaration given to the shepherds. The joy would not longer be extended only to the children of Israel but it would be for ALL people.

And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; Luke 2:10

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:14

Instead of our faith bing inherited through the blood line of Abraham our faith is now based on pleasing Him. To have peace with our maker is an act of obedience. The door is open too all.

I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9

Fear the Lord

23 You who fear the LORD, praise him! 

all you sons of Jacob, glorify him, 

and stand in awe of him, all you sons of Israel!

The post modern inherited churches have forgotten to stand in awe of God. The churches sing of an awesome God as if this word means some kind of casual greatness, or beauty. However to be in awe of something or someone is to be terrified or in dread. This new culturally sensitive theology has God as either their best buddy or a myth, either way there is no need to fear Him.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who practice it. His praise endures for ever! Psa. 111:10

When we are young we often think that the older people in the congregation are old and stogy. We make light of all things holy. We laugh and play with our grace, almost to the point of being sacrilegious. But as one gets older we often examine that tear in the vale of grace, and are terrified by what we perceive is there. Yes, indeed, God is awesome, and our souls are spared only because of that curtain of grace. Our suffering Redeemer earned our awe. When we step back and consider this curtain, we see that it is made of our Redeemer’s own blood.

We stand in holy awe, and fear for the ignorant young people.