Psalms 122:1-9: a reflection

1I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the LORD’s house!” 2Our feet are standing within your gates, Jerusalem! 3Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, 4where the tribes go up, even the LORD’s tribes, according to an ordinance for Israel, to give thanks to the LORD’s name. 5For there are set thrones for judgment, the thrones of David’s house. 6Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper. 7Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces. 8For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” 9For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

This psalm begins with a burst of gladness at the invitation to go and worship God with his people: I was glad when they said to me, Let's go to the LORD's house! The thought of going to worship, of standing within the gates of Jerusalem with the gathered tribes to give thanks to the LORD, filled the psalmist with joy. Worship was not a duty grudgingly borne but a gladness gladly entered; the invitation to go to God's house was received with delight. The psalmist was glad to go and worship, glad to join God's people in giving thanks, glad at the very thought of standing in God's presence with others who love him. Going to worship God was a joy, not a burden; the invitation was met with gladness.

Notice the gladness at the heart of the psalm: I was glad when they said, Let's go to the LORD's house. The psalmist did not go to worship reluctantly, dragging his feet; he was glad at the invitation, delighted at the thought of going to God's house, joyful to join the gathered people in giving thanks. Worship was a gladness to him, standing within God's gates a joy, gathering with God's people a delight. The invitation to go and worship was received not as a duty but as a gift, met with gladness. There is a joy in going to worship God, in joining his people to give him thanks, that the psalmist knew and welcomed. To be glad at the call to worship, glad to go to God's house, glad to gather with his people, is the spirit this psalm breathes.

That is worth taking to heart, for going to worship God with his people is a gladness, not merely a duty. We can come to think of worship as an obligation to be discharged, going to God's house reluctantly if at all; but the psalmist was glad when they said, Let's go to the LORD's house, delighting at the thought of worshiping God with his people. There is a joy in gathering to worship, in standing in God's presence with others who love him, that is worth recovering. Do not treat worship as a mere duty grudgingly borne; be glad, as the psalmist was, at the invitation to go and worship God with his people. Be glad to go and worship God with his people, delighting in gathering to give him thanks rather than treating it as a mere duty, as the psalmist said, I was glad when they said, Let's go to the LORD's house; for going to worship God is a gladness, not a burden, and there is a real joy in standing in his presence with those who love him and giving him thanks together, a joy worth welcoming gladly.

Lord, this psalm begins with a burst of gladness at the invitation to go and worship you with your people: I was glad when they said to me, Let's go to the LORD's house! The thought of going to worship, of standing within the gates of Jerusalem with the gathered tribes to give thanks to you, filled the psalmist with joy. Worship was not a duty grudgingly borne but a gladness gladly entered; the invitation to go to your house was received with delight. The psalmist was glad to go and worship, glad to join your people in giving thanks, glad at the very thought of standing in your presence. Show me the gladness at the heart of the psalm: I was glad when they said, Let's go to the LORD's house. The psalmist did not go to worship reluctantly, dragging his feet; he was glad at the invitation, delighted at the thought of going to your house, joyful to join the gathered people in giving thanks. Worship was a gladness to him, standing within your gates a joy. The invitation to go and worship was received not as a duty but as a gift. Take that to my heart, for going to worship you with your people is a gladness, not merely a duty. I can come to think of worship as an obligation to be discharged, going to your house reluctantly if at all; but the psalmist was glad when they said, Let's go to the LORD's house. There is a joy in gathering to worship, in standing in your presence with others who love you, that is worth recovering. Keep me from treating worship as a mere duty grudgingly borne; help me be glad, Lord, as the psalmist was, at the invitation to go and worship you with your people.