Psalm 132:8-9
Arise, O LORD, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.
Let your priests be clothed with righteousness, and let your saints shout for joy.
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This is one of the Psalms of Ascent, a song that pilgrims would sing as they traveled up to Jerusalem for feasts or pilgrimage. I think it’s such a beautiful idea, that as one of God’s children approach his “house” or his “resting place” from afar, they sing of his goodness and his covenant with David and Israel. For me, going on walks is something that fills me up. If I were to talk as I walk, people might think I’m crazy; like I’m either talking to myself or an imaginary person. But if I were to sing as I walk, it’s much more acceptable. There’s a sense of my heart expressing something in a way that’s not strange; singing is something that people naturally accept as a way of connecting with ourselves and with something higher.
As I was looking into the commentaries on this particular psalm, one of them mentioned that the phrase in verse 8 “Arise, Yahweh,” was a saying that emerged in Israel when the Ark was being moved into Jerusalem and then into the Temple. And the people shouted, danced, and rejoiced in this act because it was their king coming in all his splendor to sit and rest in this city he had chosen for himself. It’s the image of rejoicing because their king has risen and is on the move.
I think it’s what we need to understand in the church today also; that we rejoice because we understand that God is “arisen” and is on the move. He’s not just sitting around receiving praise, but he’s a mobile king, moving about in the real world; on the streets, in the slums, at feasts and banquets, with the poor and the influential. He’s on the move through his body, which is the church.
So it’s a two-pronged thing. God is on the move, but only if his church (his body) is on the move. Only if his priests are clothed with righteousness and his saints are shouting for joy. So, God will arise and the people will shout for joy when his priests are upright and ministering faithfully. And the priests will be encouraged in righteousness as the people shout and praise with joy. In his commentary, Matthew Henry says of this psalm, “A faithful ministry is the joy of the saints.”
If, as a worship leader, I want to see the people shout for joy and rejoice in God, I need to look at myself first and ask, “Am I wearing the right clothes?” Can I stand before God and men and say that I am walking in righteousness?
One thing I think is so cool about Old Testament priests is that they cared for the Temple, taught Scripture, and led public worship. Today, we’ve split the role of the traditional priest. Most priests just teach the Bible. But what about the duty to not just teach the Word of God, but also to lead the people in the praise of God? And what about the maintenance of his house?
Got lots to chew and meditate on for today!
