Calvin on Psalm 84:1

[el calvinist]

1 How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!

In his commentary on the Psalms, Calvin says of this verse:

[David] knew that God had not in vain appointed the holy assemblies, and that the godly have need of such helps so long as they are sojourners in this world.

And,

Those are sadly deficient in understanding who carelessly neglect God's instituted worship, as if they were able to mount up to heaven by their own unaided efforts.

Why is it that we "have need of such helps" that those who "carelessly neglect God's instituted worship" are "sadly deficient in understanding"?

What are some ways in this modern age in which we can "carelessly neglect God's instituted worship"?

Is Calvin implying that to engage in the worship of God, man "mount up to heaven"? If so, how?

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

It seems to me that Calvin is saying that we cannot approach God on our own terms. True faith enables the believer to approach God on his terms, that is, on the grounds of God's appointed ordinances, apart from which we have no warrant to think that God will accept our worship.

When man worships God by means of "the imaginations and devices of men, or the suggestions of Satan, under any visible representations or any other way not prescribed in the Holy Scripture" (WCF 21.1) then we are worshipping an idol not the true and living God. It is true that none of us worships God aright, and every human heart is prone to be a factory of idols.

But that is why God condescends to bless his appointed means of grace in the church (WCF 21; 25.3), apart from which no one ordinarily may be saved (WCF 25.2). Christ mediates our imperfect worship, and we are helped by the Holy Spirit, and so we worship in accordance with his revealed will and not otherwise. Those who truly love the Lord will love the assembly of the saints for it is there that God has promised to dwell in their midst (Ps. 46.5; Matt. 18.20).

Those who forsake the assembling together of the brethren (Heb. 10.25) and think that they can worship God aright apart from his ordinances (the house church movement, for example) or engage in will worship (Col. 2.23) are presumptuous in seeking to mount up to God according to their own wisdom; but those who humbly heed the Lord's call to join themselves to the church and worship him in faith by his appointed means truly enter into his blessed presence, tasting heaven as it were, and may say with the psalmist "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!"

J.I. Packer says

'That all true believers whose minds are spiritually renewed have a singular delight in all the institutions and ordinances of divine worship is fully evident,' writes Owen, and quotes Psalms 42:1-4, 63:1-5, 84:1-4 to prove his point. [12]

[12] Owen, Works, VII: 430f.

There are, said the Puritans, three spheres of Christian worship: public, in the local church; domestic, in the family circle; private, in the closet. Of these three, public worship is the most important. David Clarkson was entirely typical when, preaching on Psalm 87:2 under the title 'Public worship to be preferred before private,'' he argued from Scripture that 'the Lord is more glorified by public worship,' `'there is more of the Lord's presence in public worship,' 'here are the clearest manifestations of God',' 'there is more spiritual advantage to be got in the use of public ordinances,' and 'public worship is more edifying.' [21] Strikingly, yet characteristically (for many others made the same point), he reminds us that public worship is 'the nearest resemblance of heaven that earth knows: for in heaven, so far as the Scripture describes it to us...all the worship of that glorious company is public....They make one glorious congregation and so jointly together sing the praises of him that sits on the throne, and the praises of the Lamb, and continue employed in this public worship to eternity.' [22] Similarly, Swinnock insists that on the Lord's Day church must come first, and everything else be built round it. 'Esteem the public ordinances the chief work of the day, and let thy secret and private duties be so managed that thy soul may be prepared for them, and profited by them.' [23]

[21] David Clarkson, Works, (Edinburgh: James Nichols, 1864) III: 190ff.

[22] Ibid, III: 194.

[23] Swinnock, Works, I:234.

Public Worship to be Preferred Before Private by David Clarkson

[Edited on 7-17-2006 by VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[jaybird0827]

Psalm 84:1 - 3

To the chief Musician upon Gittith,
A Psalm for the sons of Korah.


1 How lovely is thy dwelling-place,
O Lord of hosts, to me!
The tabernacles of thy grace
how pleasant, Lord, they be!

2 My thirsty soul longs veh'mently,
yea faints, thy courts to see:
My very heart and flesh cry out,
O living God, for thee.

3 Behold, the sparrow findeth out
an house wherein to rest;
The swallow also for herself
hath purchased a nest;

Ev'n thine own altars,* where she safe
her young ones forth may bring,
O thou almighty Lord of hosts,
who art my God and King.

-- Scottish Metrical Psalter

Suggested Tune: Harington (attached)

 

[Lauren Mary]

4 Questions about sacred assembly for corporate worship:

1. As so many Christian assemblies throw open their doors to whomever might walk in for whatever reason, when and where do churches today really convene a sacred assembly for worship?

2. Would it be more glorifying to God if the sacred assembly for worship of the Lord be conducted as a singular dedicated time for worship alone, and at a time fully separate from the operation of evangelistic and discipleship efforts?

3. Knowing surely that there would be tares amongst the wheat lifiting their voices along with the others, would not the presence of tares make for a less sacred assembly and hense the Lord be less honored by/in it?

4. And if a church did attempt to convene a sacred assembly for the worship of the Lord, placing limitations on who may participate in an attempt to keep it for the truly God-loving devoted ones (not the perfect, of which there are none, but the demonstrably devoted) how might they accomplish that? Or should they even attempt to do so?

 

[MW]

Originally posted by Lauren Mary
1. As so many Christian assemblies throw open their doors to whomever might walk in for whatever reason, when and where do churches today really convene a sacred assembly for worship?

The assemblies of the saints have always been open to unbelievers to enter amongst them. 1 Cor. 14:24, 25, "But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth."

The temple where worshippers gather in the NT is the name of Christ, and the holy of holies is the worshipping of God in spirit and truth.

 

[R. Scott Clark]

The answer is not to restrict who can enter, the answer is to restrict the object of worship and the manner in which he is worshiped.

We must worship the true God (Deut 6:4) and we must worship him truly.

The answer to the first part is to repent of idolatry.

The answer to the second part is to re-embrace the biblical and confessional Reformed approach to worship as summarized in WCF 21 or HC 96 or BC 7, i.e., the regulative principle of worship. Rather than asking, "what may we do?" we must ask, "What must we do according to the Word of God?"

As Rev Winzer says, Paul welcomes all to our worship services (1 Cor 14) but we are to accommodate God, who has first accommodated himself to us, rather than accommodating unbelievers and thrill-seekers.

Worship in American Protestant congregations has been vitiated by revivalism which has degenerated to entertainment (clearly embedded in much of the 2nd Great Awakening already and already too much a part of the 1st GA for this old sider).

If we conducted our services according to our principles, there would be the preaching of the law and the gospel (clearly distinguished) so that evangelism is embedded in the service. Our sermons wouldn't be 10 ways to a happy marriage with an "invitation" attached.

Evangelism, properly understood as the preaching of the gospel to believers and unbelievers present, isn't something to be added to worship, it is at the center of any rightly ordered service.

There are thee marks of a true church:

The true preaching of the gospel
The right adminstration of the sacraments
The administration of discipline

If we can recover these things, then we have something and the problems suggested below would be addressed.

Blessings,

rsc

Originally posted by Lauren Mary
4 Questions about sacred assembly for corporate worship:

1. As so many Christian assemblies throw open their doors to whomever might walk in for whatever reason, when and where do churches today really convene a sacred assembly for worship?

2. Would it be more glorifying to God if the sacred assembly for worship of the Lord be conducted as a singular dedicated time for worship alone, and at a time fully separate from the operation of evangelistic and discipleship efforts?

3. Knowing surely that there would be tares amongst the wheat lifiting their voices along with the others, would not the presence of tares make for a less sacred assembly and hense the Lord be less honored by/in it?

4. And if a church did attempt to convene a sacred assembly for the worship of the Lord, placing limitations on who may participate in an attempt to keep it for the truly God-loving devoted ones (not the perfect, of which there are none, but the demonstrably devoted) how might they accomplish that? Or should they even attempt to do so?

 

[Augusta]

 

[Lauren Mary]

Thanks to you both esteemed respondents. Your insights and instructions are greatfully received.