The Psalms hold a special place in the church’s life, not only as songs of praise but songs that shape our practices. The Psalmist kneels; therefore, we kneel. The Psalmist lifts up his heart; therefore, we lift up our hearts to the Lord. But another set of psalms describes the ascending aspect of worship. When God’s people are called into his presence, the psalms reflect that calling in what is called, “The Psalms of Ascent!” We walk upwards symbolically to God’s presence when we come to worship.
One way the people of Israel walked up to the temple was by singing God’s songs of ascent. So, they didn’t simply walk in silence when God called them to worship, but they walked together with a tune in their hearts and a melody in their tongues.
In the liturgy, we call this the processional, which is what we are about to do after I pray. You will rise, the pastors will go to the back, and walk up into the presence of God where his word is heard and sung, and his meal is served and eaten.
This is nothing foreign to our cultural sensitivities. We see it at a wedding when the bride comes with her father triumphantly as the people stand in awe. In a sense, the people are processing together with the bride and father. This theme was also present in Paul’s writing. Listen to this description of the Apostle Paul in II Corinthians:
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere…”
When we process/come upwards in Christ Jesus at the beginning of the service, we walk with One who already processed for us in victory! So this morning, we sing in a processional of praise to the Ascended Lord!
