Can you sense the stirring emotions felt by the pilgrims as they came to Jerusalem, and into the courts of the temple? The anticipated entering, intensifying as they got closer, and then the great enthusiasm as they stood within the precincts of grace and met with brethren whom they perhaps had not seen since the last time they were all together.
In this Psalm David, as the typical pilgrim, describes something of the excitement of those godly emotions with reference to coming up to and standing within the place where God has revealed His presence.
But running throughout the Psalm as a unifying theme is not worship but that he is not alone in that worship, He is encouraged in it, supported in, together with the other believers in the worship of God.
There is a deep sense of belonging, of belonging to Gad and as a result of belonging to and among God’s people of God. And because he belongs among such a glorious people he is thankful for them and concerned about them.
The great desire of his heart is for “peace” – which in the hebrew mind speaks not of absence of war or trouble, but of well-being of soul – and that even in the midst of trouble and difficulties. Here his heart is lifted above himself and his needs to God and the manifestation of His glory among His people.
Christians don’t have a sacred city here or a Temple. Since Christ has come God’s people can worship Him in Christ anywhere (John 4:19-24) Paul in 1 Cor 3:16 echoes this when he declares that the church (“you” here is plural!) is described as the temple of the Holy Spirit.
We need each other to express our worship. It is in corporate worship that we most clearly foretaste the glories of heaven and feeds the desire for its continued overflow.
As we come together into this house where we worship the Lord together as his people Sunday after Sunday is this the reality that grips you? The joy, the sense of belonging, the appreciation of the peace of God, the fellowship of God’s people and above all the privilege as a people to worship the God who is the giver and protector of peace.
A high view of God demands a high view of His Church. An awareness of His free grace demands a longing for its full manifestation in the Church.