June 20, 2023 - Song of Solomon 5-8

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools” (5:1). The prophets spoke about true vs. false worship. From the Lord, Isaiah warned, “This people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29:13; Jesus quoted Isaiah when speaking about the Jewish elders and their hypocrisy: Matthew 15:7-9). Similarly, Ezekiel spoke for God: “And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it” (Ezekiel 33:31).

On the other hand, Jesus spoke about true worship: “The hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). And Paul urged, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). True worship is so much a matter of the heart, not merely outward gestures. We should guard our steps (our hearts) in worship, and we should plead:

Holy Comforter, descend,

Testify of Christ, the Lamb;

From the foe our hearts defend,

And with zeal our hearts inflame.

Send a spark of heavenly fire,

Quick as lightning to the soul:

This shall melt and bring us nigher,

Raise us up and make us whole. –Henry Fowler (early 19th century)