In our last “Winding Down with The Word,” I emphasized what a privilege it is to be able to approach God’s throne in prayer.  The truth is, worshipping God, in general, is a privilege for which we should be thankful.  Who can worship God acceptably?  David addressed this in Psalm 24.  

Psalm 24:3 (ESV)
³  Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?

The hill of the Lord refers to Mt. Zion (Jerusalem) where the Ark of the Covenant was located in the holy place.  God dwelt above the mercy seat situated on top of the Ark (Exodus 25:21-22).  To stand in the holy place implies worshipping God, for who would ever be in the presence of God without paying Him homage?  The question is, who is afforded the privilege to approach the throne of God and worship Him?  We should never forget who God is.  We should remember, at all times, the power, strength, and magnificence of God.  He is the Creator of the heavens and earth, and He has infinite power and might; thus, only certain people have the right to be in His presence and worship Him.  Who are they?  David tells us. 

Psalm 24:4 (ESV)
⁴  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.

To worship God acceptably, we must be morally pure, both outwardly and inwardly.

Outwardly, we must live according to the moral principles of God’s Word.  How we conduct ourselves in this world plays a role in determining if we can stand in the presence of God and worship Him.  We cannot live sinfully on Saturday night (or any day of the week) and attempt to praise God with His people on the Lord’s day, thinking He is going to be pleased.  To worship God properly, we must walk worthy of the gospel.

1 Peter 2:12 (ESV)
¹²  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Our conduct matters because it impacts those around us, especially those who are not Christians.  Notice, Peter says that when the Gentiles (the world) see our good deeds, they will glorify God.  What do you think they will do if our deeds are evil?  They will surely, in some way, blaspheme God.  But, our conduct also matters so far as our worship goes because God is morally perfect and cannot have fellowship with those living sinfully (1 John 1:5-7).  Only those with clean hands can offer sacrifices to God.

Inwardly, our thoughts and motives must be pure and sincere.  Only the pure in heart can ascend to the hill of the Lord.  If you want to enjoy the privilege of worshipping God, you must be good inside and out.  Being right with God is more than outward appearances.  The ongoing condition of our hearts matters as well.  Furthermore, when we are engaged in the act of worship, we must be in the proper state of mind.  All bitterness, strife, and jealousy, and any other devilish mentalities, should be absent from our minds when we worship God.  In fact, our hearts must be free from those kinds of attitudes, even before we come to stand before Him.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.