Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the Lord."
LORD, THANKS FOR THE JOY OF WORSHIPING YOU
Psalm 122 pictures the joy of a believing Israelite whose friends have invited him to go with them to the house of the Lord to participate in public worship. He considers it a blessing to do this. He knows that it is in the Lord's house that God comes to be with His people in a special way. The tabernacle was a symbol of His gracious dwelling in their midst. Here God's people joined together in worshiping Him who promised in the fullness of time to send a Savior to deliver them from sin and death and bring them life everlasting. A pleasant thought indeed for every true Israelite! Concerning this the Bible commentator, Leupold, writes: "The ideal Israelite of whom David here writes is stating what feelings always surged through his heart when his townspeople indicated that they were ready to make one of the usual pilgrimages to the capital city on the occasion of one of the great festivals. He was glad over those who informed him of their intention. He liked that kind of people who loved the house of the Lord sincerely enough to plan to go there three times year as a true Israelite was in conscience bound to do."
We who are members of the spiritual Israel of God through faith in Christ share the sentiments of the psalmist. We consider it a privilege to gather at church each week in company with our fellow Christians to worship the God of our salvation and sing His praise with united voice. A blessing we ought never take for granted!
