God Prommises Joy to His Servants

Psalms 135:1-4 Praise the LORD. Praise the name of the LORD; praise him, you servants of the LORD, 2 you who minister in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God. 3 Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. 4 For the LORD has chosen Jacob to be his own, Israel to be his treasured possession.
 
HOW is your heart as you serve Jesus? Hopefully each of you reading this has had an opportunity to be a servant of the LORD who minister in the house of the LORD in the courts of the house of our God.
   What does this service look like? The psalmist seems to refer specifically to the priests who minister the sacrifices and the prayers in the temple. We would relate this to pastors, priests, elders and deacons – the “official” servants of the LORD in the church. This is a good lesson for all who hold such roles. Preparing for worship, those who minister God’s Word in God’s house should enter with praise in their heart expressed with joy on their lips. What good is it for a sad or despondent person to speak God’s Word? Many have tried, using their troubles as an attempt to connect to others’ worried emotions.
   But there is no room for such emotions as we go to worship. The greatest remedy to such distress is to praise the LORD. Why? For the LORD is good - he is beautiful, best, bountiful, joyful, loving and kind. Focus on this goodness as good reasons to sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant. The LORD is the reality of perfection and sweetness. The LORD is Adonai, supreme and sovereign. He has received you into his house to tell you of his enduring, saving love. The LORD Who Saves is your minute-by-minute God, who turns your heart to recognize his grandeur. In our day-to-day challenges, it’s quite easy to forget the LORD has chosen you to be his own. He has chosen the church to be his treasured possession. Praise the LORD.
   The psalmist continued with a powerful overview of God’s history to form, save and protect Israel. We have the privilege to look with the same view of God’s wonderful work to form, save and protect his church through two millennium. We should always keep this at the forefront of our minds as we gather to worship. Indeed, we praise God for his magnificent salvation.
   And within the look to the past, the psalm teaches us to look to the future. V 14 For the LORD will vindicate his people and have compassion on his servants. Focus on “his”. Israel belonged to God. The church belongs to God. You belong to God when the Spirit quickens your heart to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ salvation, God has justified your sins and declared you, “Not guilty!” Surely your heart’s love for your Redeemer must turn your lips to praise! And you will declare to him v 13 Your name, O LORD, endures forever, your renown, O LORD, through all generations. All generations will know Adonai.
   Rejoice all you servants of the LORD. Bless his name. Bless his majesty. Bless his eternal home prepared for you. How good to know grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. (2 John 3)