“I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1
Introduction:
The text, written by David, is one of fifteen, “Songs of Ascent,” or songs of worship, prayer and praise, traditionally sung by traveling pilgrims as they made their way up the hill into the City of Jerusalem to celebrate one of three annual Jewish festivals.
Thought to have been written near the end of David’s life, the Psalm describes the joyful anticipation that filled his heart and mind, as he contemplated spending time in the Presence of God in worship.
Charles Spurgeon, in his commentary, ‘The Treasury of David,’ writes, “David’s heart was in the worship of God, and he was delighted when he found others inviting him to go where his desires had already gone.”
The statement, “David’s heart was, “In the worship of God,” is well founded in Scripture. For example, in (Psalm 63), we hear him say, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsts for Thee, my flesh longs for Thee…To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen Thee in the Sanctuary.”(Psalm 63:1-2)
The longing of David’s soul to worship God and be found in His Presence, can only be described as compelling. He tells us in (Psalm 27:4), “One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His Temple.”
In his song to the sons of Korah, recorded in (Psalm 42), he describes the intensity of that desire, saying, “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so my soul panteth after Thee O God. My soul thirsteth for God, the living God.”(Psalm 42:1-2).
While history will remember David as a great military leader, warrior, musician and King, it was His passion for God and a determined desire to glorify Him, that was the defining characteristic of his life. His ‘thirst for God’ and longing, ‘To behold the Beauty of the Lord,” distinguished him as, “A man after God’s own heart.”
In his analogy of the “Hart that panteth after the water brooks,” we are reminded how a greater revelation of God’s Glory and the quenching of our thirst for His Presence, will only come to fruition as we, “seek Him with our whole heart.” In (Jeremiah 29:13), God tells us, “And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.”
A casual, inconsistent or lackluster approach to God in worship will leave us dissatisfied and with a sense of spiritual emptiness.
(1) Speaking to His disciples from His mountain pulpit, Jesus said, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
Sadly, that, ‘hunger and thirst’ to grow closer to God and to exalt and glorify Him in Spirit anointed worship is lacking in many lives. The determination to, “Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth,” (Colossians 3:2), as was advocated by the Apostle Paul, is often weak or non-existent.
For example, in our personal devotions we are prone to allot ourselves only a few minutes to focus on the spiritual before we hurriedly return to the demands of our secular life. Waiting on God in study and prayer is not always our highest priority.
In our public Worship Services, time is of the essence. There is the tendency, even in fundamental Churches, to be content with a liturgical worship program that gives little time or opportunity for a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit, or the expression of worship and praise by individual believers.
It is a matter of, “Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof.” (2 Timothy 3:5)
I recently read about a small boy, who after attending Church one Sunday morning, knelt at his bedside that night and prayed, “Dear God, we had a good time at Church today—but I wish you had been there!”
Being content to hurriedly worship God or simply follow a program, robs us of that intimate personal relationship which made the heart of David ‘glad.’ It steals the joy that awaits us in meaningful worship and the refreshing move of the Holy Spirit.
We should heed the words of the poet, Robert Louis Stevenson who said, “Find out where joy resides, and give it a voice far beyond singing, for to miss the joy is to miss all.”
Let us pray the prayer expressed in a chorus we have often sung, “Let Him breathe on me; Let Him breathe on me, let the Breath of God, now Breathe on me.”
John tells us in his Gospel, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)
It is in Spirit-Anointed Worship, that we, like, Isaiah of old, may, “See the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,” (Isaiah 6:1) or like John, on the Isle of Patmos, be “in the spirit on the Lord’s Day.”(Revelation 1:10)
(2)The thought of joining others in the House of God, brought a surge of gladness to the heart and mind of David. He said, “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the House of the Lord.”
(Psalm 122:1)
It was the opportunity to be in the Presence of God that incited a surge of joyful anticipation and gladness in the heart of David. Nothing in life mattered more to him than being found overshadowed by the Majesty of God’s Presence.
We know the Temple in Jerusalem was built by David’s son, Solomon, and dedicated thirteen years after David’s death. While it was David’s vision and planning that made the construction of the Temple possible, he never worshipped within its sacred walls.
However, there is no doubt, David envisioned the joy and blessing of being there in the Presence of God. It would have been ‘a dream come true.’ It would have quenched his ‘thirst for God’ and filled the ‘longing of his soul!’
Historians tell us the beauty of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem defied description. As planned by David, its opulence was made possible because, it was constructed with the finest materials, the most exquisite tapestries and precious stones. Its furnishings were overlaid with gold.
But, let there be no misunderstanding. That which set the Temple apart and made it a most Holy place was not its magnificent opulence. It was The Ark Of The Covenant, or The Presence of God that rested in the inner-sanctuary known as The Holy of Holies.
The Temple by design, solicited the admiration and praise of man, but its physical beauty and influence pales when compared to the beauty, majesty, and impact of God’s Presence.
Whether it be a Temple made by the hand of man or the temple of flesh made by God’s Creative Hand, it is His Presence within, that is most important.
Nothing brings comfort to the soul or satisfies the longing of the heart, like God’s Presence in worship.
From the heart of an old Pastor, let it be said. The Church today, can survive without many things to which we have grown accustomed. If necessary, we could survive without the latest technology, social programs, musical trends or an orator in the pulpit. But we cannot survive and effectively minister without the Presence of God within us, and the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon us.
The highly influential Baptist Minister, Charles Spurgeon, known for his stand in opposition to the liberal theological tendencies in the Church in the late 1800’s, spoke, plainly and powerfully, about the absolute necessity of the Holy Spirit’s Presence and work in the life of the believer and in our worship.
In his Sermon titled, “The Work Of The Holy Spirit,” delivered on a Sunday morning, Spurgeon said, “Without the Spirit we can do nothing. We are as ships without wind or chariots without steeds (horses). Like branches without sap we are withered. Like coals without fire, we are useless. As an offering without the sacrificial flame, we are unaccepted,” (Sermon:The Work Of The Holy Spirit: cross points pub.)
His point cannot and should not be ignored. Without a Sovereign move of God and the operation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in our life, we become empty vessels individually, and the Church collectively, becomes just another social organization, rather than the living, thriving spiritual organism God intended.
Absent His Presence, our worship becomes a structured program to be meticulously followed, often to the exclusion of an uninhibited flow of the Spirit.
Without His Presence and Power, the Church becomes a voice without authority, a song without inspiration, a message without substance and an influence without impact. Lacking, the Anointing and Power of the Holy Spirit, we are, as the great preacher said, “Ships without wind,” and, “Coals without fire.”
(3) In (Psalm 16:11), We hear David say, “IN THY PRESENCE,” is fullness of joy at “THY RIGHT HAND,” there are pleasures forevermore.” His words were spoken out of experience. Through years of trial and triumph, it was the ‘Presence’ and ‘Hand of God,’ that had sustained and blessed him.
Bible scholars have varied views as to the meaning of the phrase, “In Thy Presence is fullness of joy,” but I humbly ask your indulgence in allowing me to express what those words mean to me personally.
It is in His Presence, we experience the joy of knowing “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble,” (Psalm 46:1).
John Newton, the composer of the iconic hymn, ‘Amazing Grace, was inspired to write: “How sweet the sound of Jesus Name in the believers ears! It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds, and drives away his fear. It makes the wounded spirit whole, and calms the troubled breast; ‘Tis manna to the hungry soul, and to the weary rest.”
It is in His Presence, we have the joy of knowing, our name is written in the ‘Lamb’s Book of Life and the assurance, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” (1Corinthians 15:51-52)
In His Presence, we are given the hope of that glad morning when we shall blend our voice with the voices of the redeemed of the ages in singing the praise which is the same in every language, “Hallelujah, Hallelujah!
With so much to gain, we simply must not miss the joy that awaits us as we worship in His Presence.
There is much to rob us of our peace and joy today, but once we close the door to a troubled world and spend time in Spirit Anointed worship, we will experience, peace that guards our heart and surpasses all understanding and “Joy unspeakable and full of glory,” (1 Peter 1:8)
May I encourage each believer, “Don’t Miss The Joy!” With the Psalmist, let us. “Enter into His presence with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him and bless His Name.” (Psalm 100:4)
It is said that George Fredrick Handel, the composer of, “The Messiah,” was discouraged, deeply in debt, and on the edge of despair, when he secluded himself in his room and with little eating or sleeping, he began writing the universally acclaimed, “Hallelujah Chorus.”
After some time, his assistant went to his room to check on him. Entering Handel’s room, he found him slumped in a chair, with tears streaming down his face.
The assistant asked why he was crying? Handel, lifting up a paper on which were written the words to the Hallelujah Chorus, he said. “I did think I did see all heaven before me and the Great God Himself seated on His Throne.”
Alone in God’s Presence, his vision of the ‘“King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” broke through the barrier of fear and distress, and he was inspired to write, “And He shall reign for ever and ever! And He shall reign for ever and ever! King of Kings! Lord of Lords! King of Kings and Lord of Lords! And He shall reign for ever and ever! Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
It is my hope and sincere prayer that, our greatest spiritual desire will be to enter into that higher realm of worship, where like Handel, we see, “All heaven opened,” and God revealed in Majesty and power. May we “Hunger and thirst for righteousness,” until we are filled.
The message is: “Don’t Miss The Joy!” “To miss the joy is to miss all!”
I close with the words of a wonderful song of worship.
“We worship and adore you,
Bowing down before you.
Songs of praises singing,
Hallelujahs ringing,
Hallelujah, Hallelujah,
Hallelujah
Amen!”
The Shepherd's Staff 