I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.” (A song of ascents. Of David. Psalm 122:1)

I Love To Go To God’s House

The heart of David was entirely devoted to the worship of God. There was a pure sense of dedication to the spirit of David that reflected in his memorial as a man after God’s own heart. The closeness, intimacy, familiarity, and deep love David shared with the heavenly Father did not come from his intellectual knowledge of the Divine. His purpose in life was worship, and his favorite place to be was the house of the Lord. When the time came to go to the Temple and enjoy the fellowship of spiritual feasting with the people of God, David was at the head of the line. The Hebrew word David used to describe his joy was SAMACH, meaning “to brighten up,” “glee,” “cheer,” filled with joy, and made merry. This was not a frivolous kind of gladness. The spirit of David loved to go to the house of the Lord to sing praise, hear the powerful word of God spoken, listen to devout prayers, and witness the faithful making sacrifice.

There was no drudgery to David’s journey to the house of the Lord. When the time came to go, there was no question where he would be going. His time at the house of the Lord was not settled by a clock as if on a timer. The day of worship was a joyful occasion for David. Along with the thousands of worshipers, David was a common man bowing in reverence to the blessings of a benevolent God. He was king of Israel, but at the house of God, he was a humble man of faith. Mingling with the common people of Israel, David was like a gentle shepherd tending his flock. The union of faith united the hearts of everyone to the joy of worshipping the Lord at the house of God.

The house of God is no longer in Jerusalem, but in many communities throughout the world, a house of God can be found. Jesus built His church to be the body of the saved, the bride of Christ, a house of God, and a place of worship. Every first day of the week, the early disciples gathered together in a place to worship God. It may have been in a home, by a riverbank, in a cave, or in the catacombs of Rome the church would meet, but they gathered together as the house of God for a single purpose. The desire of all those who came together in one place was to worship the Lord.

“Going to church” is a similar phrase used in the modern setting, describing being in a particular place for worship. David said he was glad when they said, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.” Sadly, there are many in the church today that have no gladness in assembling with the saints. Many want to stay home with a myriad list of excuses of why they cannot join with fellow Christians in the worship of Jesus Christ. Social media has spoiled many to become “Mattress Christian” or “Couch Members” who enjoy the show rather than the worship. There is no joy to go to the house of the Lord when the convenience of Dan and Bethel are offered. The spirit of David was pure joy to go to the house of the Lord, and nothing would hinder his journey. There must be the spirit of David among God’s people who love to go to the house of the Lord.

It is sad when children grow up never knowing if they are going to church or not. That is an indication the parents have taught them well the carnal materialism of the world is more important than worship. Any excuse will keep some from going to the house of the Lord. When the children grow up and leave the faith, there should be no surprise because they were never taught to love to go to the house of the Lord. There is nothing more important for a child of God to do in life than to go to the house of the Lord. Sitting in a church building will not save a person, but it is where devotion to God begins. The Lord commands His people to assemble, and to neglect the assembly brings the wrath of God. Under the Law of Moses, the Sabbath was not to be trifled with. The joy of going to the house of the Lord is why we assemble every first day of the week. What is your joy? Where do you want to find joy? Are you glad when it is time to go to the house of the Lord?