“I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up— the tribes of the Lord— to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel. There stand the thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.”  Psalms 122:1-5

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16

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This Sunday, special guest Pastor Banning Liebscher continued our series through the Psalms of Ascent with a call to reorient our worship—not around preference or feeling, but around presence. Worship isn’t about what we get out of it—it’s about the gift we bring. When we gather together with song, we’re offering the very thing God has asked for— unified adoration.

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Worship Is a Response to Who God Is

• “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.” Psalm 95:1-3
• Worship means to bow down, to kneel in reverence — not just physically, but with our whole life.
• It’s a response to the revelation that God is the only one worthy of praise.
• Sin distorts our worship — we begin to worship ourselves, creation, or emotion rather than the Creator.
• “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1
• True  and proper worship flows from understanding who God is and what He’s done.

Worship Is a Gift for God, Not an Experience for Us

• What do you bring the God who has it all and has given me all? The gift he requests: worship.
• There are over 400 indirect and fifty direct commands to sing to the Lord.
• Worship is not about us, but so often we approach worship with us in mind.
• Sometimes we evaluate worship based on our own preferences or emotions, but no one is singing to us.
• Worship is not about how we feel — it’s about bringing a gift to God, even when we’re tired, distracted, or discouraged.

Worship Unifies Us

• Worship is something we do together. It draws us out of isolation and into unity as the people of God.
• Even the secular world witnesses how music can unify a people. How much more is this true with worship?
• Gathering to sing isn’t just tradition — it’s an act of obedience and joy.
• We come not just as individuals, but as one body, bringing one voice to honor the Lord.
• “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Psalm 22:3
• Although our worship is not about us, when the people of God sing the praises of God, the presence of God dwells among us.

Dinner Party Questions

• When you think about God’s character and what He’s done in your life, how does that shape your response in worship?
• What are some ways you’ve let your emotions or preferences influence your worship — and what would it look like to offer God your gift anyway?
• Why do you think God designed worship to be something we do together? How has corporate worship impacted you personally?

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