These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I would go with the throng
and lead them in procession to the house of God
with glad shouts and songs of praise,
a multitude keeping festival.
-Psalm 42:4 (ESV)
This is straight out of a Psalm of lament where David asks himself several times, “Why are you cast down, O my soul?”
It’s clear that David is not in Jerusalem at this time because of an enemy. Whether that enemy is from within his own household or from Saul or from a foreign nation, David is removed from the regular worship of God Almighty with his fellow Israelites.
He is in the pits, wrestling with depression and struggling to find joy. He remembers the great joy of being with the people singing God’s praises and celebrating God’s goodness.
Like most of you, I deeply miss the gathering of the church.
I remember the booming voice of the church when we would join together in song. The instruments would stop playing and the voice of the church would be like the roar of many trains passing by right in front of me. I can’t count how many times the sound of the saints has brought me chills.
The greatest part of my job is hearing and seeing the church pour out her heart in love to her Creator and Savior in worship through song. I miss seeing the smiles, and the tears of joy as we worship together through song!
I still love Sunday mornings, but they’re just not the same right now. And there are times when it makes me sad, longing for the church to be able to physically gather again.
While I don’t know when it will be, the church will gather again in the beautiful facility that God has blessed us with. Brothers and sisters… that will be a great celebration! We will fill that building with the most glorious, thunderous praise, and it will be heavenly!
I can’t wait!
If your soul is downcast and you long to gather with your brothers and sisters in Christ, you’re not alone. David has felt that way, I’ve felt that way, and I know that many that I’ve talked to feel that way.
At the end of this Psalm of grief and sorrow, David says, “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”
Church, hope in God. We will again praise him under the same roof!
Until then, may God fill our homes with songs of praise, and build the anticipation and appreciation for the time when we will be able to physically gather together for worship!
I love you church!
- Pastor Kyle