Read
(For the music leader. A psalm by the clan of Korah.)
The Joy of Worship
1Lord God All-Powerful,
your temple is so lovely!
2Deep in my heart I long
for your temple,
and with all that I am
I sing joyful songs to you.
3Lord God All-Powerful,
my King and my God,
sparrows find a home
near your altars;
swallows build nests there
to raise their young.
4You bless everyone
who lives in your house,
and they sing your praises.
5You bless all who depend
on you for their strength
and all who deeply desire
to visit your temple.
6When they reach Dry Valley,
springs start flowing,
and the autumn rain fills it
with pools of water.
7Your people grow stronger,
and you, the God of gods,
will be seen in Zion.
8Lord God All-Powerful,
the God of Jacob,
please answer my prayer!
9You are the shield
that protects your people,
and I am your chosen one.
Won't you smile on me?
10One day in your temple
is better than a thousand
anywhere else.
I would rather serve
in your house,
than live in the homes
of the wicked.
11Our Lord and our God,
you are like the sun
and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness
and with honor,
never denying any good thing
to those who live right.
12Lord God All-Powerful,
you bless everyone
who trusts you.
Reflect
Psalm 84 comes from the depth of the psalmist’s heart. It describes the kind of worship expressed in the Westminster Catechism: “The chief end of man is to love God and to enjoy him forever.”
Worship is not something that should be pulled out of us. Rather, it is a natural, genuine outflow of gratitude and reverence that comes from our love relationship with God.
The psalmist ached, even grieved for the Temple, the place of worship. He was like a man starving for bread. Whatever was barring him access to the Temple was extremely troublesome to him. If he could just get to the Temple, he would burst out in song. To sing joyfully would satisfy that deep hunger for the awareness of God’s presence.
He envied the birds who built their nests in God’s house. He was righteously jealous of those who served in God’s house. Could there be better place on earth?
For pilgrims coming to the Temple in Jerusalem, it meant walking through a very strenuous area at the Valley of Baca (v6), a valley of weeping (v6 NLT). We will all face a valley of weeping. No one can escape pain in life. You live, you will hurt. Brokenness and tears are written into life. Yet the psalmist found that worship enables us to persevere through hard times. As we worship, we are empowered, refreshed and strengthened. A difficult season does not diminish our relationship with God. Rather, we move from strong to stronger.
The psalmist had an outlandish love for God. “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else.” (v10 NLT) He would be happy “scrubbing floors” in the house of God (v10 The Message).
A final blessing of worship is protection, favour and honour. Worship invites God to wrap us in his extravagant love.
Respond
Dear Father, I love to worship you! Thank you for teaching me that worship is not just a traditional act, but a life-transforming life-style. You have taught me in the hard places that worship infuses inner strength and peace. Thank you for wrapping me in Your love. Amen.
Margaret Gibb
Margaret has been actively involved in Canada with ministries to women for over 35 years, serving for 10 years as President of Women Alive. A writer and international speaker, Margaret has a passion to see women fulfill their God-given calling. In October 2011, she founded a new ministry organization, Women Together, that will engage professional Canadian women to come along side women in developing countries with skills development, leadership training, spiritual encouragement and support.