But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 KJV
God, you are the Holy One. You sit as King upon the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 ERV
Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. Psalms 22:3 BSB
God is present everywhere at all times. This theological concept is known as omnipresence. Thankfully, wherever you are, the Holy Spirit is with you whether you feel anything or not. The Bible also contains many references to special times when God invades creation in a way that can be felt, seen or heard: the burning bush, the cloud on Mount Sinai and the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, for example.
We are meant to relish the moments when the transcendent God visits His creation — the intersection of time and eternity. One of the places where God is said to show up in this way most frequently is when His people come together to praise Him.
Psalm 22:3 refers to a holy God who sits enthroned upon the praises of Israel. The Hebrew word comes from the verb meaning ‘to sit’. As you can see, it is translated in various ways, such as ‘to inhabit’, ‘to sit as a king’ or ‘to be enthroned’. God inhabits the praises of his people. He takes up residence on the throne created by our collective praise.
One of the reasons we gather as His church is to praise and glorify His name. We don’t need any other reason. However, when we do it, we benefit from His presence touching our lives in many supernatural ways. Being in the presence of God is good for you!
From a human perspective, this is important because we need it. We are not designed to live by our own strength and ability alone. We need Him. One of the main advantages of having God with us in a tangible way is that our enemies will flee!
I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High. When my enemies turn back, They shall fall and perish at Your presence. Psalms 9:1-3 NKJV
We know that we are not battling flesh and blood. Our enemies are spiritual in nature and attack us in many different ways. You may be struggling with depression, fear, doubt or even bitterness towards someone else. You have prayed and spoken to the mountain. Still, the thoughts recur and the pressure builds. Stepping into a room filled with the presence of God will cause those enemies to scatter. It’s a truly safe space.
The blessing isn’t just for you. You don’t just get some breathing room for your own battles. When you give yourself to wholehearted worship, you help others to experience relief from the enemy’s assault. The Presence of God in the midst of His people puts their spiritual assailants to flight. Please, this Sunday, come and worship. You need it. We need it.
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