WORSHIP
1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
O Lord of hosts!
2 My soul longs, indeed it faints,
for the courts of the Lord;
my heart and my flesh sing for joy
to the living God.3 Even the sparrow finds a home
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O Lord of hosts,
my King and my God.
4 Happy are those who live in your house,
ever singing your praise.5 Happy are those whose strength is in you,
in whose heart are the highways to Zion.
6 As they go through the valley of Baca,
they make it a place of springs;
the early rain also covers it with pools.
7 They go from strength to strength;
the God of gods will be seen in Zion.8 O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer;
give ear, O God of Jacob!
9 Behold our shield, O God;
look on the face of your anointed.10 For a day in your courts is better
than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than live in the tents of wickedness.
11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
he bestows favor and honor.
No good thing does the Lord withhold
from those who walk uprightly.
12 O Lord of hosts,
happy is everyone who trusts in you.
The opening lines to this psalm were used as the Call to Worship recently as we focused on worship in worship. It speaks of the happiness that is found as we spend time in God’s house. Moving into the season of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas, I see and sense lots of happiness in worshipping God. I hope you do too.
Prayer
Dear God, as the inscription at the base of our church’s Christ window implores – “Come unto me all who labor … and I will give you rest” we praise you for the happiness we find in your house. And we thank you for the invitation to dwell in your presence. Amen.
