“A Spirit of Joy and Praise” (Ready to Worship S10E5)

September 20, 2019

Ready to Worship Season 10, Episode 5 for Friday, September 20, 2019

On this season of Ready to Worship, we are studying the Spirit or attitude that we are to have in worship. In this part of our study, we are going to consider the joy that we are to bring to worship. Before becoming king, David endured a severe time of testing. As you recall, Saul was trying to kill him. To preserve his life, David was forced to constantly move around and to dwell alone in dark caves and dens. In the Forty-Second Psalm, David remembered better times. He remembered a time when he gathered with a multitude for worship. We read, “When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday” (Psa. 42:4). For the purpose of our study, let’s focus on how David went to worship. He went with the voice of joy and praise. Commentators tell us that worshippers in David’s day often traveled to the house of God in large groups singing as they went up. This was evidently what David was remembering in this psalm. He missed it so much! No doubt, by the time the worshippers arrived at worship, their voices and their hearts were ready for worship. I wonder how ready we are when we arrive for worship? I wonder if we come with the voice of joy and praise? I’m afraid that sometimes our voices and hearts haven’t been warmed up at all. I’m afraid that sometimes we have secular songs, instead of spiritual songs, playing in our heads. I’m afraid that sometimes we are filled with thoughts of worry, of work, and of the world, instead of of worship. What can we do about it? Well, for starters, we can be intentional. We can prepare our hearts for the important work that we are about to do (Ezra 7:10). We can prepare our hearts by turning off outside interferences like secular shows, songs, and social media, hours before worship. We might replace them with a preaching program produced by one of our brethren. We might also replace them with spiritual songs. What if we followed the example of David’s day and sang on the way to worship? Dad could lead , or if he is vocally challenged like me, the family could sing with recorded singing. I would also suggest preparing for worship with prayer. Cast your cares upon Christ so that you can worship with a happy heart, instead of a heavy one (1 Pet. 5:7). As we get ready to worship this week, let’s work on coming with a happy heart. For sure, God has given us a reason to be glad.