Psalm 84:10

"A door-keeper in the house of my God."—Ps. 84:10.

My soul, hast thou ever considered the blessedness of such an appointment, of such an office, when truly followed up? If Jesus indeed appoint, and both teach the nature of it, and give grace to the faithful discharge of it, then is it most honourable, and truly blessed. A door-keeper is supposed to know the several apartments of the house, and to be well acquainted with his Lord and Master, in whose service he ministers. He is supposed also to know who goeth out, and who cometh in; whether his Lord be at home, and how his fellow-servants are employed in their ministry. And if he be a faithful door-keeper, he will willingly open to none but such as his Lord approves, but most gladly shew all that come in his Lord's name, and are welcome to his Lord, the way to his Lord's presence and his Lord's table. What sayest thou, my soul, to such an office? Surely, to be" an hewer of wood, and a drawer of water, in the service of the sanctuary," is an honourable employment; and how much more to be "a door-keeper in the house of God!" The man after God's own heart was so much delighted with the thought of God's house, that he seemed to grudge the constant abode of the birds that made their nests at the altar. Poor David, though a king in Israel, could only now and then go up to the house of God, but these birds rested there. And under the full impression of the happiness resulting from a constant residence, he broke out in an hymn of praise:" Blessed are they that dwell in thy house," whose home, whose abode, whose constant employment is there; for "they will be still praising thee." Pause, my soul! hast thou the same views as David? Consider wherein this blessedness consists: the servants of the Lord, who dwell in their Lord's house, are blessed, not because they are in the receipt of wages; not because their bountiful Lord provides a table for them; but because he gives them employment, and his praises are their meat and drink:" they will be still praising thee," saith David. Yes! the house of God is then an heaven below, where the servants of the Lord find their joy and happiness from the everlasting praises of God and the Lamb! But, alas! if the servants of the Lord's house, in any or all of the departments, from the highest to the lowest, dwell there, not to glorify the Lord and promote his honour, but to serve their own bellies, and, like the finger-post to the traveller, stand to direct him in his way, but move not a step themselves; so far from a blessedness, they will find in the end of their labours, that the heaviest of all condemnations will follow! Blessed Lord Jesus! thou wert a door-keeper indeed to thine own house, that in all things thou mightest have the pre-eminence! Thou, for the love thou hadst to thy Master, to thy church, thy wife, and thy children, didst, like the Jewish servant, submit to have thine ear bored at the door-post, to go out no more free, but to remain for ever. Oh! for grace to cry out, in the review of such love as passeth knowledge, "I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." See Exod. xxi. 5, 6.