Psalm 22:3 — But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Let me be clear. I know that not everyone agrees with how the King James Bible translates this verse. The Jewish Study Bible, for instance, has “But You are the Holy One enthroned, the Praise of Israel”. I’m not sure, though, that I care very much about the debate — the idea of God inhabiting the praise of His people is beautiful and compelling. I heard an echo of it this morning.
I was blessed by our Pastor’s teaching this morning. It contained a sparkling gem of truth that prompted this devotion. I was, to be honest, less blessed by another message I heard, and I think it contained something that sparkled but was really fool’s gold.
The gem was not part of Pastor’s main message, but as he led us in prayer he said to God “This is your worship”. Yes! Worship flows down from the Father, flows through His people, and flows right back to Him. That is God inhabiting the praises of His people.
As to the fool’s gold …
Let me say first that I know that if I don’t find myself blessed by the teaching I’m listening to, the fault is usually in myself. I also know that if something sounds wrong that might be because I’m not hearing it right. With that said, here’s what I heard. The teacher said “If somebody goes away without hearing something they need to do, I haven’t done my job. Well, that might sound good but I have to disagree. Assuming that what is being taught is in line with God’s word, the teacher has done the job. The rest is a transaction between God and the hearer. It’s that same connection … the flow from God, to the believer, and back again. The interaction of instruction and obedience is another way in which God surely inhabits the praise of His people.
These ideas about the interplay between God and His people lead me back to one of the scripture passages I love the most:

Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:20-23)

Jesus is praying, I believe, for the time when God and His people will be so united that the circle of worship, the circle of instruction and obedience, is so perfect that it will never be interrupted. We get moments now … But there is an eternity to come!