A Passion for His Presence: How Worship Changes Us

Psalm 73 is one of my favorites because it’s just so true to life. Here we have a guy named Asaph who was a worship leader in his day. But he starts this song by admitting that he nearly lost his spiritual footing. He was ready to quit. 

Why? Because he saw the inequity of life. He noted how often people who didn’t follow God were successful, healthy, and wealthy, while he gave everything to serve God and His people, yet he struggled to get by. The dissonance was killing him.

“It’s not fair, God!” That’s the gist of the first several verses. “I’ve tried to keep myself pure and do the right things, but what has it gotten me? I’m faced with afflictions and pain all day, every day.” 

But then he came to a turning point. “When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply till I entered the sanctuary of God…” (v. 17)

Worship was the hinge upon which his soul swung from death to life. Worship changed him. 

What worship did for Asaph, it can do for us. 

1. In worship, he received perspective. (vs. 18-19) When we have eternity in view, we recognize that what really matters, that which is truly valuable, is not wealth, beauty, or fame—it’s the Kingdom. 
2. In worship, he was able to diagnose the condition of his heart. (vs. 21-22) In worship, we come face to face with our selfishness and shortsightedness. But we also see how much God loves us and that His ways are best.
3. In worship, he was reminded of the fact that he wasn’t alone. (vs. 23-24) Picture yourself walking through life with God holding your hand like a little child with her father. By drawing close to God in worship, He is able to keep us from making foolish, self-destructive mistakes.

Asaph concludes his song with these beautiful words: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (vs. 25-26)

It’s as if he’s thinking, “What if I hadn’t come to the sanctuary? What if I hadn’t prioritized worship?  I would have gone on in bitterness and envy. I would have settled for short-term gains at the expense of long-term benefits. I would have trashed my life by engaging in self-destructive decisions. I would have walked through life all alone. Thank God for the sanctuary.  Thank God for worship. Because worship has the power to change me.” 

 

 

Text: Psalm 73

Originally recorded on January 31, 1999, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN