Psalms 134

Psalms 134THEME: The pilgrim’s final song of praiseThis is the final psalm in the pilgrim’s progress. We have arrived. And in this psalm the pilgrim stands in the temple and lifts his voice in praise with the multitude. This is the grand amen, a threefold amen.

Psalms 134:1

Again I remind you that this pilgrim had come from a place where he was under suspicion. People criticized him, maligned him, and lied about him. His neighborhood was not good. But now he has arrived in Jerusalem; he is standing in the sanctuary lifting up his hands and blessing the Lord.

Psalms 134:3

The pilgrim blesses God and, in turn, he is looking for the blessing of God to be upon his life. This is a great worship psalm and one that should be incorporated into our worship. Let me venture a suggestion. The curse of being a retired preacher is that you always want to tell the other fellow how to conduct his servicewhether you did it like that yourself or not. I know something about retired preachers, because several of them used to be in my congregations. Now I find myself one of them. As I look back on my ministry I realize my services were too formal. I believe worship today is entirely too formal.

I do not believe that there should be fanatical outbreaks during the worship services, but there are some of us who cannot sing to express our thoughts. I have to stand in services just like a dummy. I can’t singI can’t carry a tune. My wife doesn’t want me even to try to sing when I am standing with her in a service. She tells me that everybody turns and looks at me with not very pleasant looks when I try to sing. Sometimes I would just like to say, “Praise the LordHallelujah” or “How wonderful is our God.

God is good.” We need some informality in our services and the freedom to express ourselves. Oh, my friend, let’s not be stiff and stilted when we worship our God. Let’s praise Him from our hearts.