The Rest of God

But the psalmist doesn't stop there. Now, in verse 6-7 he gets intimate and introspective. The psalmist says, "Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Why does he say that? Because now he recognizes his place in the kingdom of God in relation to God's place. "He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand." The psalmist recognized in worship that God is the shepherd. He is the leader, and we are just sheep—servants.

It is at that point, after high praise and reflective worship, that he says, "Don't harden your hearts." He knew that the only way to keep your heart soft before the Lord was to live a life of praise and worship. Again, it is not just a one time act, but it is a lifestyle. Worship keeps our focus on the right things and does not allow room for evil to enter. As long as we continue to recognize our place in relation to God's place, we cannot rebel, because we know that we would be a fool to turn our back on the living God.

As you remain faithful and keep your heart in an attitude of surrender, God has promised a blessing. To the children of Israel in the wilderness, that blessing was the Promised Land. It was a land of prosperity, flowing with milk and honey, and it was a land of safety, free from the threat of slavery. Likewise, today we have been promised a blessing, and that blessing is called the ‘rest' of God. The Greek word for ‘rest' means to settle down, to colonize, or to abide. Today the ‘rest' of God is His holy presence. In the midst of His presence we are safe, free from the threat of slavery to sin, and all of our needs are taken care of.

Praise and worship not only will keep you humble before the Lord, but it will literally take you into the very presence of God. I think we are all aware of that fact, but for me, this passage just reemphasizes how much God longs to be with us. He would never turn his back on us, but we can willingly decide to rebel and harden our hearts toward Him.

Live that lifestyle of worship. Praise God for who He is, and worship Him because He is the great Shepherd. Keep a submissive and humble spirit, and allow God to take you into His rest.