“I Was Glad…” — Rediscovering Joy in the House of the Lord (Psalm 122)

Reading of the Word

Psalm 122:1–9 NASB 2020

I was glad when they said to me, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord.” Our feet are standing Within your gates, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that has been built As a city that is firmly joined together; To which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord— An ordinance for Israel— To give thanks to the name of the Lord. For thrones were set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. “May peace be within your walls, And prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brothers and my friends, I will now say, “May peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your good.

INTRODUCTION

It’s early morning. A little boy sits on the couch, fully dressed, shoes on, legs swinging. He’s not waiting for Santa or a trip to Disneyland—he’s waiting for church. Someone said, 'We’re going to the house of the Lord,' and that meant something to him—joy, wonder, God.

Now contrast that with us today—hitting snooze, dragging feet, checking boxes. For many, the only time we smile in church… is when it’s over.

What happened?

Psalm 122 opens with this ancient confession: “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’”Not obligated. Not annoyed. Not apathetic. Glad.

This wasn’t just about attending a service. It was about entering into the presence of God with His people. That kind of joy still exists—it’s just been buried under busy schedules, worn-out routines, and distracted hearts. But the good news? It can be rediscovered. Starting today.

🪜 Sermon Points:

JOY BEGINS WITH THE INVITATION

“I rejoiced with those who said…”

There’s joy in being invited—into God’s house, into worship, into community. (Psalm 5:7; 28:2; 138:2)

Somehow, we’ve lost our love for the church. But the church isn’t just a building or a gathering—it’s the bride of Christ. To love the church is to honor the One who gave His life for her.

Too often, the only time we smile in church is when it's time to leave. But if that’s the highlight, we need to ask ourselves—why are we even here? What’s our motive when we walk through those doors each Sunday morning?

Sometimes, joy returns the moment someone says, 'Come with me to church.' Maybe it's time we become that invitation for someone else.

There’s joy in being invited. There’s joy in being included. There’s joy in being welcomed.

Joy in worship is like water in the desert—refreshing the soul.

As they journeyed towards Jerusalem, they went with joy, anticipation, and purpose.

We don’t just go to church but in journeying here, we are becoming the church!

The church reminds us we don’t walk this journey alone.

They journeyed in thanksgiving.

For who God is.

For what He has done.

They arrived to worship.

We need to recover this spirit.

It isn’t something that you just check off a to do list. it’s a delight. It’s not just a place—it’s a people, drawn together by the presence of God.

NFL coach Tony Dungy spoke often of Sunday worship as the week’s high point—more than any Super Bowl.

Each Sunday isn’t just another day—it’s an encounter with the living God. So prepare your heart like it matters. Pray before you park. Open your Bible before you open the church door. Don’t just show up—come ready and anticipitating God to do great things!

We need to recover that joy. The joy of worship. The joy of gathering. The joy of saying, ‘I was glad.’

Have you lost that joy somewhere along the way?

Somewhere along the way, the church has forgotten the joy of simply being in God’s presence. We've traded wonder for routine, and holy expectation for habit. But His presence hasn’t changed—maybe we have. Reasons for this:

Busyness and Commitments - In our busy lives filled with work, activities, and screens, church often gets pushed aside—yet it’s the very place where we find rest, renewal, and a fresh encounter with God.

Consumer Mindset - Today’s culture often asks, “What do I get out of this?”—even when it comes to church. We shop for sermons and programs like they’re products. But church isn’t a show—it’s a sacrifice of praise. We’re called to ask instead, “What did I bring to God today?”—our worship, our gratitude, our open heart. Worship is about surrender, not consumption. God will minister to our hearts, but our main focus in coming to church must be to worship Him.

Hurt and Judgment - Many have been hurt by churches that judge instead of love. But the church is called to be a place of grace—a hospital for the broken, not a museum for the perfect—where people are loved and pointed to Jesus.

But that joy doesn’t just stay at the front door of the church. It moves with us deeper into the life of worship...

2. WORSHIP ROOTS US IN SOMETHING BIGGER

“Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.” (v.2)

Jerusalem symbolized unity, identity, and security.

Unity is becoming a theme in this series that we are hearing a lot about.

Psalm 133:1 NASB 2020

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to live together in unity!

Jerusalem is important because it brought the 12 tribes of Israel together in unity to do one thing: Worship God. It was the geographic center of Israel.

This also points us to the day when we will live with God in the new Jerusalem. Peace, security, and true joy will be found within its gates.

Jerusalem was built as a tightly compact city, surrounded by walls and rocky valleys—a powerful symbol of unity. Though the tribes were many, they were drawn together as one people, woven into a single place of worship and purpose.

There are different denominations but we are knit together in unity through Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection.

Church today connects us to a bigger story—God’s people across time and space.

Worship reminds us: we’re not alone. We’re not forgotten. And we’re not the center—God is.

The story of salvation runs like a river—flowing through Israel, rising in Jerusalem, and reaching all the way to the church today.

It anchors us when life feels uncertain.

🪨 Application: Are your spiritual feet planted or wandering?

3. CHURCH IS WHERE GOD’S PEOPLE GATHER WITH PURPOSE

“Where the tribes go up… to praise the name of the Lord.” (v.4)

Worship isn’t a performance—it’s a gathering of God’s people with a shared focus: praise.

We don’t gather to be seen. We don’t gather to be entertained. We gather to worship.

The tribes didn’t go up for themselves—they went up for God’s glory.

This refocus brings joy—it takes our eyes off of self and places them on Christ alone. Christ is lifted high, not on the cross but placed on the pedestal to praise, worship and adore.

🙌 Application: Are you coming to church with a heart ready to worship or a list of expectations?

4. CHURCH IS WHERE JUSTICE AND PEACE MEET

“There the thrones for judgment stand…” (v.5)

God's house isn’t just about singing—it’s about transformation and truth.

When we gather, we’re shaped by God’s Word and held accountable in love.

God’s Word corrects us. God’s Spirit convicts us. God’s grace covers us.

Joy is found where righteousness and peace kiss (Psalm 85:10).

Joy will never be found in worldly things.

True joy is only found in living for God.

⚖️ Application: Are you allowing the Spirit to challenge and change you in community?

5. WE SEEK THE PEACE AND PROSPERITY OF GOD’S HOUSE

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…” (v.6–9)

We find joy when we pray for, not just take from, the church. David offered this prayer for the community and for those who have the authority from the Lord to govern it.

We don’t just take from the church. We invest in the church. We build the church. We are the church.

Jerusalem needed to be peaceful because it had to function as a workable site for worship and government.

Jerusalem was known as the beautiful city because it was where the presence of God resided.

A peaceful, unified church becomes a source of joy and strength for everyone.

Peace from worldly things.

Peace from God through justice and righteousness.

The psalmist ends not with complaint but commitment: “I will seek your good.”

God bring everything together for good: the pain, the brokenness, the tragic, the sorrow.

Jesus shows us this throughout his ministry, death, and resurrection.

The miracles he performed.

These miracles all turned different circumstances into healing, wholeness, and victory.

The conquering of death.

The joy of resurrection and life.

For Jerusalem to prosper, it had to stay centered on the worship of God.

The devil is going to divide and conquer the church. Many times without thinking about it, He does that well and we play right into his schemes. We must be aware that the devil is using anything he can to take us away from the church and its main focus of worshiping God.

One of the enemy’s most effective lies is this: You don’t need the church. But hear me—nothing can replace the power of united worship. Personal worship matters, but it’s not the whole picture. God designed us to gather.

🕯️ Sermon Illustration: The Lone Coal

Imagine a roaring fire filled with glowing red-hot coals. As long as they’re together, the fire stays strong and warm. But take one coal out and set it aside. At first, it still glows… but slowly, the glow fades. It cools. The flame goes out.

That’s exactly what the enemy wants—to isolate you until your fire goes out. But when we gather? We burn brighter. So stay in the fire. Stay in the family. Stay in the church.

The church isn’t just a building—it’s the fire that keeps our faith alive. Stay in the fire. Stay in the family.

The church is a source of goodness—not because of us, but because God is at the center. And that goodness isn’t meant to be kept—it’s meant to transform lives and point people to Jesus.

God’s people are here.

God’s presence is here in His house as we meet as the living inspired gift known as the church.

When we gather together, we are doing the most important thing we will ever do. We are gathering as God’s family to worship the one and true God, where He meets with us in a special way that cannot be replicated anywhere else. Church makes us more aware of his presence than anywhere else on earth.

🕊️ Application: Are you a peacemaker in the house of God or a source of division?

Today’s Takeaway: Joy returns when we remember why the church matters—because it brings us into God’s presence, God’s people, and God’s peace.

CONCLUSION

Today, we’ve talked about the joy of going to the house of the Lord—the joy of worship, the unity of God’s people, the purpose of gathering, and the peace that flows from His presence. But now, we get to see that joy in action.

As we celebrate baptisms today, we’re not just witnessing a personal decision—we’re embracing a family moment. These brothers and sisters are declaring their faith in Jesus publicly… and we, as the church, say with one heart and one voice: Welcome home.

Just like the tribes of Israel gathered in Jerusalem, we gather today not as strangers, not as individuals—but as one body, one people, knit together by Christ. And when someone is baptized, we don’t just clap—we commit. We commit to walk with them, pray for them, disciple them, and surround them with the love of God’s people.

In just a moment, we’ll celebrate baptism—because the joy of God’s house isn’t just something we talk about… it’s something we get to see come to life. This isn’t just about water—it’s about welcome. It’s about a home. It’s about a family getting bigger, stronger, and more joyful today.

And maybe you’re here, watching others be baptized, and wondering if that’s your next step. Maybe today is the day you say: I’m ready. I want to belong. I want to follow Jesus.

🎯 Closing Challenge:

The church isn’t perfect—but it’s precious. When we come with the right posture, we find joy in being together, joy in praising God, and joy in becoming who we were meant to be—together.