Coming to the Table: Finding Joy, Refuge, and Assurance in God's Presence

Watch the whole service and sermon from Psalm 16, Psalm 34, Psalm 23, and Psalm 113, "Communion In The Psalms”. In this worship-filled service, we come to the Lord’s Table through these four psalms. Together, we come to the Table and remember God as our refuge and highest good (Psalm 16), we taste and see His goodness and saving grace (Psalm 34), we rest in the assurance of our Good Shepherd who walks with us through every valley (Psalm 23), and we respond in joyful praise because there is no one like the Lord our God (Psalm 113). Come and be reminded that in Christ there is forgiveness, fullness of joy, and steadfast mercy that follows you all the days of your life.

There's something profoundly beautiful about gathering at the Lord's table. It's more than a ritual or religious observance. It's an encounter with the living God who invites us into His presence, offering refuge, joy, and unshakeable assurance for our weary souls.

When we approach communion, we're not simply going through the motions of a centuries-old tradition. We're declaring what we believe about Jesus Christ and salvation. We're worshiping the One who gave Himself for the forgiveness of our sins. We're acknowledging our desperate need for grace and celebrating that we've been saved by it.

The words of Psalm 16 echo with timeless truth: "Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge." This is the posture we must bring to worship and to life itself. We are not self-sufficient. We need a protector, a shelter, a safe place when the storms of life rage around us.

In times of danger, trouble, difficulty, hardship, and tribulation, God is our refuge. The question isn't whether He's available or willing. The question is: Will we take refuge in Him?

Too often, we get distracted by the demands of daily life. We lose focus, chasing after our own priorities and placing ourselves in positions where we experience more trouble than necessary. But the reminder stands: Trust in Him. Take refuge in Him. He is your protector and your only true refuge in this life.

David's confession in Psalm 16 cuts through our cultural confusion: "I have no good apart from you." In a world constantly redefining goodness according to shifting standards and personal preferences, we need this anchor of truth.

God alone is good. He defines what is good. He is the source of all genuine goodness and blessing. Outside of God, there is no real good—only shadows and counterfeits that promise much but deliver emptiness.

When we pursue anything other than God as our ultimate good, we will always come up empty. Our souls were made for Him, and nothing else will satisfy the deep hunger within us. He is our highest good, our greatest treasure, our supreme delight.

"The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup," David declares. What a remarkable statement! God Himself is our inheritance. He belongs to us, and we belong to Him. He is our God, and we are His people.

The Lord is also described as our "cup"—the source of divine blessing. If you're walking through a difficult season right now, wrestling with circumstances that threaten to overwhelm you, hold fast to this truth: You are blessed. God's people are a blessed people. That reality should encourage us to continue seeking Him, even when the path is dark and uncertain.

Perhaps one of the most powerful promises in all of Scripture comes at the end of Psalm 16: "You make known to me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

In God's presence, there is fullness of joy—not partial joy, not fragile joy, not the fleeting happiness the world offers, but complete, overflowing, lasting joy. Don't let anyone or anything rob you of this reality. When you gather with God's people to worship, you are in His presence, and in His presence is fullness of joy.

Psalm 34 extends one of the most beautiful invitations in all of Scripture: "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."

This isn't an abstract theological proposition to be debated. It's an invitation to experience God for yourself. Taste and see. Come and discover. Draw near and find out that He truly is good.

The psalm reminds us that the Lord answers those who seek Him. David testifies, "I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears." What fears are gripping your heart today? What anxieties keep you awake at night? When we seek the Lord, He hears. He answers. He delivers.

The Lord's table is a message of salvation for those separated from God. It's a reminder that if you believe in Jesus Christ, He will save you. Every human being needs Jesus Christ. We were born into sin, separated from God, facing the consequences of our rebellion. But in Christ, there is grace. In Christ, there is salvation. In Christ, there is hope.

One of the most comforting promises in Psalm 34 speaks directly to those carrying heavy burdens: "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit."

Is that you today? Are you broken? Do you need healing? Do you need saving? The Lord's table reminds us that God draws near to heal the brokenhearted and save those crushed in spirit. He doesn't wait until we have it all together. He meets us in our brokenness and makes us whole.

Psalm 23 has comforted countless believers through the centuries because it paints such a vivid picture of God's faithful care. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want."

Our Shepherd provides our deepest needs. He makes us lie down in green pastures. He leads us beside still waters. He restores our souls. Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we need not fear, because He is with us.

God doesn't wait until life is easy to feed His people. He strengthens us even in the valley. He empowers us even in hardship. He nourishes us even under worldly pressure. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, reminding us that we are strong in Christ and victorious over all that opposes us.

The conclusion of Psalm 23 offers unshakeable assurance: "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
Surely. Not maybe. Not occasionally. Not conditionally.

Surely. God's goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life. Whatever you went through yesterday, God's goodness and mercy were with you. Whatever you'll face tomorrow, God's goodness and mercy will be there. Why? Because your Shepherd is faithful.

You don't leave the table in fear or anxiety. You leave with assurance because your Shepherd is faithful, and He will be faithful all the days of your life.

As we reflect on these profound truths, one question rises above all others: Who is like the Lord our God?

Who can save us? Who can lead us and feed us? Who died for our sins, defeated death, and shed His blood to give us redemption? Who is above all things, worthy of all praise and honor?

There is no one like the Lord. Nothing compares to Him. He is above all things, supreme over all creation, worthy of our complete devotion.

Because of this reality, we must praise His name. We must bless the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Our worship isn't optional—it's the only reasonable response to such magnificent grace.

Come to the table. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Find your refuge in Him. Discover that He is your highest good, your chosen portion, your source of fullness and joy. Walk with the Shepherd who will never leave you or forsake you. And live with the unshakeable assurance that His goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of your life.

Through this message, God reminds us that in Christ He is our refuge, our shepherd, and our greatest joy—near to forgive, to heal, and to lead us—so how will we respond to Him in trust, gratitude, and wholehearted worship today?

Read: Psalm 34:8, "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!"

Choose one or two of these applications to commit to this week:

Pray for:

• Thanksgiving: for God's goodness, mercy, and the salvation we have in Christ
• Healing: for broken hearts and crushed spirits in the group
• Assurance: that God would strengthen faith and remove fear
• Worship: that our lives would magnify the Lord this week

Final Thought: "There is no one like the Lord our God. He deserves all worthy, all praise."
How will you praise Him this week?