‘I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD”’ (Psalm 122:1 NLT).
This is one of David’s fifteen “Psalms of Ascent,” written to be sung while climbing up to the Temple Mount. It begins by expressing David’s gladness at the invitation to go up to the house of the Lord. Such joy for corporate worship should be on every believer’s heart in anticipation of its perfection in heaven. Yet, David’s gladness was not only in anticipation of his worship destination, but also for the worshiping congregation that would join together with him in praising God along the way.
This invitation is still being offered today, “Let us go into the house of the Lord!” Yet many refuse. The admonition from Hebrews seems more relevant today than ever before: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (Heb. 10:25).
Will you answer the Spirit’s invitation to worship together? Will you join the happy throng?
PRAYER: Dear Father, so many things compete for our time today that we forget to make worshiping together a priority. And in so doing, we weaken ourselves and our churches and we deny ourselves much joy. Forgive us. Stir in us the desire for worshiping You together with Your family. Strengthen us with Your joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.