He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. (Psalm 40:2)(NLT)
As I read Psalm 100 one day, something struck a chord with me about worship. When I read verse 4, it spoke to me of a necessary ingredient for real worship and a possible hindrance to our worship experience. You see, God is looking for a thankful heart and an attitude of thanksgiving as we enter into worship.
As we enter into worship in an effort to bow before His throne, we are to enter His gates. Notice how the verse says to do it---with thanksgiving. So we're trying to arrive at the feet of Jesus and worship before His throne, but we're held back at the gates because we don't have the "key" to gain entrance. Without a thankful heart we cannot really continue to His courts because we are to enter those courts with praise. If we don't have that attitude of thanksgiving we probably will not praise Him. We must travel through those courts in order to come before Him in worship, but without thanksgiving leading us to praise we won't truly arrive. We will not be able to worship in spirit and in truth because we are still stuck outside the gates wondering why we don't feel a worship connection with the Lord.
So I would encourage us all as we come to worship services to do it the way Psalm 100:4 outlines it for us. Let's enter the gates with the key of thanksgiving. Put aside distractions before church. Before or on the way to corporate worship services, listen to some worship music and get your mind into a frame of worship before you step through the church door. Think of all the ways God has blessed you and what Jesus went through for you on the cross.
Let's then continue with a thankful heart into God's courts with praise. I mean truly enter into worship! As a worship leader, it saddens me when I see people not participating in singing the worship songs and hymns. It's like some are there just to warm a pew, and no matter what song is being sung they just refuse to enter in and sing along. Don't be one of those who says, "I'm not singing because I don't like that new praise chorus!" or "I'm so tired of that old hymn, I'm not gonna sing that!" Remember we are commanded to worship with "psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" in the New Testament (Eph. 5:19), and it's not about what you (or we) like. It's not about us at all--it's about Jesus! So lift up your voice in song and praise! God doesn't care if you can carry a tune in a bucket or not--your joyful noise is beautiful to His ears (Ps. 33:1) What matters is that you praise Him with sincerity and with your whole heart behind it!
Then we can proceed to fall at the foot of God's throne in true, sincere worship!
I wrote a song with some of these ideas in my head. I thought about calling it "Thank You Lord" but ultimately ended up with the title "The Rock that Rolls my Blues Away". It is based on Psalm 100:4 and Psalm 40:2. Here's the lyrics:
The Rock that Rolls My Blues Away
vs. 1) I say I want to enter Your courts with praise
but I can't even get past the gates
'Cause Lord You're looking for a thankful heart
and this ol' heart's not making the grade
I've been feeling blue like I'm in the dump
I've got to remember where You've brought me from
'Cause Lord You pulled me out of the miry clay
You set my feet on the Rock I'm standing on today
chorus) Thank You Lord for what You've done inside my heart
I thank You for salvation and Your blood that covers me
Thank You Lord for You are worthy of the praises I lift up
You flood me with forgiveness and a peace I've never known
You are the Rock that rolls my blues away
vs. 2) Now we have got so much to be thankful for
with His love and grace how could we want more
But Lord sometimes we take our eyes off You
and we lose sight of the One that we adore
We need to realize just who we are
children of the King and heirs with Christ
And then when the devil tries to bring us down
we have a Friend who's the Way the Truth and the Life
chorus) Thank You Lord for what You've done inside my heart
I thank You for salvation and Your blood that covers me
Thank You Lord for You are worthy of the praises I lift up
You flood me with forgiveness and a peace I've never known
You are the Rock that rolls my blues away
(repeat chorus)
copyright 2009 Heart of Praise Music
So remember to bring the "key" to church with you so that you can enter His gates. Bring a thankful heart because of what He's done for you--for your salvation--for His blood that covers your sins--for His forgiveness and peace and grace!
Singing His Praises,
Singing His Praises,
Joey Culpepper