A Heart of Worship

Carter Pridmore

Calvary Baptist Church (Scottsboro)

Event:

Date:

Bible Passage:

Psalm 63 ESV

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me. But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth; they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals. But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Prayer

Central Idea of Text (CIT): Worship

Introduction:

Opening Illustration: “Have you ever had a moment when you desperately needed your phone, but there was no signal?”

Picture this: You’re in the middle of nowhere. Your phone battery is fine, the apps are ready, but there’s one problem—no signal. It doesn’t matter how advanced or expensive your phone is; without a signal, it’s just a fancy paperweight. Frustrating, right?

Our spiritual lives are a lot like that. We can show up to church, sing the songs, and even read our Bibles, but if we’re not connected to God, it’s like having a phone with no signal. We’re designed to function in connection with Him, and without it, we feel empty, lost, or frustrated—just like David in Psalm 63, who describes his soul thirsting for God.”

Truth Statement: But here’s the good news: God isn’t hiding or unreachable. Just like reconnecting to a signal requires intentional effort—moving closer to a tower or resetting your phone—connecting with God starts with our willingness to seek Him in worship.

Opening Question: What is getting in the way of your worship? When was the last time you really felt connected to God in a worship setting? Why don’t you thirst for the things of God? What’s the difference between you and the people around you that aren’t afraid to worship?

Explanation Statement: Here are some key takeaways from David in Psalm 63 that can help us form a heart of worship.

1. Pursuit of God’s Presence

Scripture: Psalm 63:1-2

Psalm 63:1–2 ESV

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.

Explanation: When reading the Bible, it’s important to look at context. You know, the phrases “I’m sorry” and “my bad” mean thing. Unless, you’re at a funeral. Context matters. So, what’s the context of this particular passage?

David is currently in the wilderness of Judah, fleeing from Absalom. That was a whole situation in itself. People were mustered and tensions were high so he was forced to get out and flee to the wilderness of Judah.

In the scripture, we see David was experiencing a true physical thirst in the desert. Even though he was facing this physically, David expressed his thirst and desire for the Lord. He compared his physical thirst with his spiritual thirst. Are you thirsty for the things of God? Do you long for a relationship with the Father?

Just like how David sought after God in the wilderness, you should seek after him too. You can have this exact same heartfelt connection that David had. Not just on Sunday, but everyday. Do you want true worship? It starts with recognizing that you need the Lord in your life. You can’t do it alone. He longs for a relationship with you. You should long for one with him. Pursue his presence!

Illustration: What’s your favorite band or artist? (Wait for response….) Alright, they’re coming to Scottsboro and you’re dying for tickets. You’re not just excited, you want to get the best tickets possible. You camp out online and refresh the page every few seconds waiting for them to go on sale, you stand in line for hours to get the best seat in the house near the stage. Why? Because being close to them matters to you. You don’t want to just hear the music from the back, you want to be up close to experience it.

That’s the kind of way David was pursuing God’s presence. He didn’t want to just know about God from a distance. He didn’t want to just come to church on Sunday because he knew that’s what he was supposed to do. He wanted a deep intimate relationship with God. He longed to be close, to experience him personally, to develop a real relationship with him.

Guys, Christ is more than just someone we read about. Christ is more than just something to hear a pastor talk about on Sunday. He can be your closest friend. He’s just waiting on you to pursue his presence.

Application Question: Are you chasing after his presence? Are you satisfied with what your relationship looks like with God right now?

2. Priceless Love

You could focus on how David describes God’s love as better than life itself, which leads to sincere worship and praise. Encourage teens to reflect on what they consider valuable in their lives. Suggest that when they truly understand the depth of God’s love, it naturally overflows into genuine worship, shifting their focus from worldly distractions to God’s eternal goodness.

Scripture: Psalm 63:3-5

Psalm 63:3–5 ESV

Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

Illustration: (pick student in audience) What‘a the most expensive/meaningful gift you’ve ever received? You’re absolute favorite? Maybe it was a brand-new phone, a pair of shoes you’d been dreaming about, or even a special trip. Whatever it was, it meant so much because someone cared enough to give you something they knew you’d treasure.

Now imagine this: God’s love is the most priceless gift ever given. It’s worth more than any gift you could imagine—because it’s not something you can buy or earn. It’s freely given to you, but it cost Him everything. It’s easy to overlook and understate the sacrifice made on Calvary. We’ve heard about it our whole life and so we become numb to how big of a deal it actually is. If a firefighter were to rescue you out of a burning building just seconds before you took your last breath, you’d go out of your way to show gratitude to that firefighter. Christ saved you from the flame. In fact, an eternity in Hell.

Explanation: When David says God’s love is better than life, he’s saying that this gift of love is beyond anything we could ever hope for or deserve.

Application Question: How do you respond to that kind of love? Do you treat it like the most valuable thing in your life? Do you take it for granted? Does you’re praise and worship reflect the sacrifices that Christ made for you?

3. Personal Reflection

Explanation: Perhaps explore the idea of remembering God through meditation and clinging to Him for support, as David illustrates in these verses. Suggest that for teens, worship is not just about songs but involves deep, daily reflection on God’s past faithfulness and ongoing presence. Through this, they can find strength and comfort, realizing that God is always close, even in difficult times

Consider discussing David’s confidence in God’s justice against his enemies. Encourage teens to trust in God’s righteousness and find peace in His plans despite challenges. Highlight that true worship encompasses trusting God’s justice and direction, reaffirming our reliance on Him as we face life's uncertainties.

Perhaps conclude by examining the assurance of victory over adversaries, as David details, pointing to the triumph we have in Christ. Encourage teens to worship through hopeful expectation, trusting God’s plans despite opposition. Remind them of Jesus' victory over sin and death, affirming their identity in Him as they pursue a life of worship that resonates beyond Sundays.

Illustration:

Scripture: Psalm 63:6-8

Psalm 63:6–8 ESV

when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.

Application Question:

Conclusion:

There’s a chance the reason you’re struggling to worship Christ today is because you’ve never gave you’re life to him.

Closing Prayer