David, known as the “sweet psalmist of Israel,” wrote many songs throughout his lifetime. Whether he was offering words of lament, gratitude, worship or wisdom, David freely expressed the depth of his heart. One of my favorite songs lies tucked in the book of I Chronicles, chapter 16. Here, David writes a song of thanks after the ark has been brought into Jerusalem and placed in the tent. His heart is fixed on the Lord as He powerfully worships him for who He is and what He has done throughout the ages. This week we will spend time examining five verses of his song so that we can get a deeper sense of what it looks like to wholeheartedly honor the Lord.
“The Songs We Sing are Catchy.”
Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!
I Chronicles 16:9
Even though my jaw hurts from smiling and my abs ache from laughing, I’m thankful for the times I have with girlfriends. I don’t really care where we go or what we do. Just being with other women who share their stories and who listen to mine fills my soul. When there have been long gaps since our last gathering, you better be quick to jump in to the tiny open space, the lull in a conversation, and say what you want to say. We all have thoughts, ideas, complaints, worries, and woes we are dying to share. This is where we safely exhale about anything and everything. We can move from complaints about parenting to excitement about a cleaning product. Whatever the topic, it seems always tethered to a good bit of passion that only increases as we discuss the issue at hand.
As soon as I head home and hit the pillow after nights like these, I often replay pieces of our conversations. I analyze my contributions. While I sometimes wish that this was not where my mind automatically goes, I have learned to invite the Lord into my mental dissections. Tonight, I become aware of my contributions to some unnecessary complaining and bickering that eventually led to gossip. I regret what I said and receive His admonition, His guidance and His grace. I’m also tuned into the way we supported one another as we shared struggles and encouraged one another in our walk with God. It took one woman to link our topic to Him and before you knew it, our conversation was full of hope, even in the midst of hardship.
I wonder if that is what happened when David began singing and telling about God’s wondrous works. As he began to sing, do you think they all joined in? He was so excited to give thanks because the Ark of the Covenant was finally in the portable tent he had constructed. His passion is obvious and His joy is contagious. When I read this passage recently, I certainly found myself thinking, “Yes, God is indeed, glorious!” One person’s excitement about something impacts everyone around them. That’s the central premise for advertising. Get others excited about a product, and it will lead the curious to become consumers. If we truly long for others to taste and see that God is good, may our enthusiasm for Him and our passion for the gospel be the central theme of our conversation as we directly and indirectly invite others to place their hope in God.
Jackie