Rise: The Psalms of Ascent (Week 5: Worship Should be Anticipated with Joy)

Psalm 122 opens with a simple but powerful emotion: gladness at the mere invitation to worship. God's call to come before Him is not reserved for those who arrive with joyful hearts. It is extended to the weary, the grieving, the doubting, and the grateful alike. Worship is not an obligation to fulfill but a relationship to enjoy. The Christian faith was never meant to be a solitary journey, and gathering together intertwines our lives in ways that strengthen us all. Just as redwood trees draw their resilience from roots that wrap around one another, believers find their strength in community. We do not gather simply to escape the world but to be transformed and sent back into it as instruments of God's peace. The same invitation David received is extended to us today: come, and may your heart be glad.