The Power of Worship

After hearing a violin prodigy, Albert Einstein once remarked, “Now I know there is a God in heaven.” Music and song possess a transcendent quality, capable of lifting us beyond ourselves and awakening a sense that there is something true, beautiful, and right in the world. Of course there are elements of physiology and psychology involved, but in the midst of true worship, something more is included - the presence of God himself.

Solomon completes the project envisioned by his father David, building the Temple and bringing the ark into a permanent home. As the ark is placed in the Temple accompanied by songs of praise, the glory of the Lord fills the place in such a way that the priests are unable to stand. Whatever the cloud was, it brought a tangible sense of God’s power and presence. There was a gravity to the experience; from the latin gravitas, meaning weight.

The presence of God does not immediately produce euphoria, but humble prayer. Between these bookends, Solomon offers an extended prayer wrestling with two conundrums: How can God, who is infinite and transcendent, also be near and personal? And if this holy God draws near to sinners, how can that possibly end well for them? The answer is given in the form of fire consuming the sacrifices, indicating acceptance through the judgment of another. The glory of God as revealed in worship is a result of three realities: a Holy God, sinful humanity, and atonement through sacrifice. John’s Gospel uses the word “glory” forty-two times, most famously in John 1:14: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory.” What is the weightiness we sense in true worship? It is “the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6), by which we proclaim: “He is good, and his steadfast love endures forever.”