Day 25 | February Devotional from Psalms - "Worship at the Next Level: My Flesh Longs for God"
Psalm 84:1, How lovely is Your tabernacle, O Lord of hosts! 2 My soul longs, yes, even faints For the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. 3 Even the sparrow has found a home, And the swallow a nest for herself, Where she may lay her young— Even Your altars, O Lord of hosts, My King and my God.
This February devotional in Psalms will conclude with a four part lesson from Psalms 84, today looking at verses 1-3.
Many of the Psalms were song lyrics intended to be set to music and accompanied using instruments. The heading of some Psalms indicated the recommended musical instrument. Psalm 84 begins with this heading, "To the Chief Musician. Onan instrument of Gath. A Psalm of the sons of Korah"
Many instruments such as the Lyre (a harp type instrument) are known. Others, like the "Gath" instrument are unknown. (Here is an article about musical instruments in the Bible, https://www.journal33.org/other/html/otinstr.html)
David's passion for the presence of God is inspiring. There is insight in his praise. Notice that David not only expressed that his "heart" longed for God. He wrote that even his "flesh" longed for God. In the course of our lives, we consider "the flesh" to be our nemesis. It is that part of our being that frustrates God's purposes in our lives. David reached a level in his worship where the part of his being that was naturally opposed to God, longed for God!
Paul wrote in Romans 8:7, "Because the carnal [flesh ruled] mind is enmity [hostile] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
Through his devotion to God, David's "carnal mind" aligned with his heart to worship God. He was not unaware of the dangers of his carnal mind, but he found a way to bring his entire self into God's presence. This is the objective in "presenting our bodies a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). This is why we lift our voice and our hands to God. We train our physical body and carnal mind to submit to God. It's like taking your child somewhere he needs to go, even while he resists going.
David compared his state of worship to sparrows that find their home in a nest and a place to rear their young. Worship should become like a home to us.
Reflection Question: David used birds as an example of worship. What do you find as an example to inspire you?
Today’s action item based on insight:
