A worship that can host weeping and wonder

Deborah Bate July 22, 2026 3 0

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Ezra 3: 10-13 (NIV-UK)

10 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets, and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise the Lord, as prescribed by David king of Israel. 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

‘He is good;
    his love towards Israel endures for ever.’

And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Reading this passage, I was struck by how drastically different the two responses of the people were as the temple foundations were being laid. Some gave “shouts of joy” while others “wept aloud”. Yet both are seemingly valid emotional responses.

I wonder if you can recall a time when a circumstance that brought somebody joy, instead triggered a painful memory for you? Perhaps the fulfilment of another’s dream has caused you some inner pain as you wondered, why them but not you? In today’s reading, we see some shouting for joy as they see what was once a dream coming to pass, whereas an older generation are weeping, perhaps remembering what they had once loved and lost. Both are recorded. Both are seen and known by God.

Psalm 62 tells the people to “pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge”. What a comfort to know that all of our personal, emotional responses are valid to God. He sees. He knows. He wants to hear about our joys and struggles and we are free to worship Him through tears and rejoicing. But, as even in the most troubled Psalms of David, where even in lamenting he turns his thoughts back to praising God, let’s remember to bring our minds back to the truth of God’s goodness and the salvation we have in Him. There’s always a reason to praise Him.

Pray with me:

Dear Lord, thank you that we are free to pour out our hearts before you as we worship you, and that you understand our struggles to always bring you the praise you deserve. Thank you that whatever the circumstances, nothing changes the truth that you are good. Teach us to worship you through it all, and to lift our eyes to the wonder of who you are. Amen.