King David was known as a man who sought God’s will in all things, even though he often failed. The Psalms record many of his prayers for God to guide him and make him a good leader. Psalm 26 is one of these prayers, and verses 8-10 include good objectives for any leader:
“O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.”
Sometimes we may not know how to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions,”[1] as Paul suggests, but in this cry to God, David gives us at least 3 things to pray about. He lists qualities he wanted to pursue, and some he wanted to avoid, but which are good for any leader. Therefore, on the model of Psalm 26, we can pray for the leaders of our countries and communities today.
We can pray for political leaders who:
worship God (who “love the habitation of your house”)
do not seek violence and vengeance (who are not “bloodthirsty men”), and
are not corrupted by money (whose hands are not “full of bribes”)
If you are like me, some days feel very eventful and productive, but other days remind me of the saying: “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” There are times when we all wonder: Who cares about what I did today? Did today matter? Did anyone notice?
When recently reading Psalm 29, verse 8 struck me, which says: “The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.” Why is this verse here? Earlier in the Psalm, the voice of the Lord thunders, shatters the tall cedars of Lebanon, and flashes like fire. Who cares about the wilderness? It reminded me of the tree falling with nobody around. Why does it matter?
It matters because the Psalmist (David) wants us to know that God’s power exists even where we can’t see it and in ways we may see as inconsequential. However, to Him, nothing is inconsequential, and no detail is too small. Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:30 that “even the hairs of your head are all numbered.” If a tree falls in the wilderness, God cares about it even if nobody else does.
Psalm 29 closes with “May the LORD give strength to his people! May the LORD bless his people with peace!” His strength and peace are available on good days and bad. On days we feel motivated and days we don’t. On eventful days and on days we feel we are in the wilderness with nobody to hear.
Today, God will notice you, and will work in ways that you may only know when you look back on them from eternity. No tree falls without His knowing about it.
May His strength and peace be with you always.
“God is always doing 10,000 things in your life, and you may be aware of three of them.” – John Piper
Below are the chapters to read this week if you’re following along in my Bible in a year schedule, divided into morning and evening readings. Follow along any way you want: just do the evening reading, flip the morning and evening, read it all. Whatever works for you and your schedule!
Monday, January 29 Morning: Psalm 29, 2 Samuel 6 Evening: Genesis 29
Tuesday, January 30 Morning: Psalm 30, 2 Samuel 7 Evening: Genesis 30
Wednesday, January 31 Morning: Psalm 31, 2 Samuel 8 Evening: Genesis 31
Thursday, February 1 Morning: Psalm 32, 2 Samuel 9 Evening: Genesis 32
Friday, February 2 Morning: Psalm 33, 2 Samuel 10 Evening: Genesis 33
Saturday, February 3 Morning: Psalm 34, 2 Samuel 11-12 Evening: Genesis 34
Sunday, February 4 Morning: Psalm 35, 2 Samuel 13-14 Evening: Genesis 35
Only one of the 150 Psalms is written by Moses (Psalm 90), and it begins with this verse:
“Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.”
Moses lived a long life in many places, starting in Egypt, fleeing to Midian, returning to Egypt, then leading the exodus from Egypt, and spending 40 years wandering the wilderness on the Sinai Peninsula. However, Moses died without entering the Promised Land of Canaan.
Moses had many earthly dwelling places yet was never home. He tells us in Psalm 90:1, “Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.” Why? Moses knows that the only true dwelling place of God’s people is with the Lord Himself.
As long as we are on this earth, we are “sojourners and exiles”[1] Only in the next world are we, and His people “in all generations,” from Adam to Moses to now and into the future, finally home with Him.
Tradition suggests that Psalm 24 was used at the start of temple services in ancient Jerusalem, possibly commemorating the Ark of the Covenant moving from Obed-edom’s house to Jerusalem, an event recorded in 2 Samuel 6:10-12:
“So David was not willing to take the ark of the LORD into the city of David. But David took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household. And it was told King David, “The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing.”
This was the second attempt to move the ark, the first attempt having ended in disaster, in 1 Samuel 6:6-8:
“And when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah, and God struck him down there because of his error, and he died there beside the ark of God. And David was angry because the LORD had broken out against Uzzah. And that place is called Perez-uzzah, to this day.”
God gave detailed instructions for moving the ark in the book of Numbers 4:9-20. It was supposed to be carried on the shoulders of Levites descended from Kohath. Instead, they moved the ark as the Philistines did (1 Sam 6). The judgment of Uzzah reminded Israel that God is not to be taken lightly or for granted.
Today’s post is a flashback to the 1989 song by Christian rock band Petra, “The King of Glory Shall Come In,” which is based on Psalm 24. When Psalm 24:3, referenced in the song’s verse, says “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” David, the author, is asking who is worthy to be in God’s presence. However, the chorus of the song is my favorite part. Some believe verses 7 to 10 of Psalm 24 were a call-and-response between the priests and the people, who cried out for God to be among them. Knowing they are unworthy; they still need and desire His presence among them. The song imagines what that call-and-response might have been like, but in 80’s praise-rock style!
Call for the King of Glory to come into you today! By the sacrifice of Jesus you can “stand in his holy place” with “clean hands and a pure heart.”
For just the lyrics, go here, but for the audio of the full song, click below:
