Our Wondrous God in the Psalms of David
Our Wondrous God in the Psalms of David.
“The single most characteristic thing about David is God. David believed in God, thought about God, imagined God, addressed God, prayed to God. The largest part of David’s existence wasn’t David but God.” (Eugene Peterson, Leap Over A Wall.)
The Overture. David’s life was the God-song that anticipated the Christ-Song. His life was the musical piece that strongly hinted at the melodies and themes that would be heard in the Christ-Song much later. David’s life served as the musical preview that prepared us for the Song of Jesus, the son of David.
Hand-Picked. David was totally unique in Scripture, perhaps the Bible’s most famous character. David lived from around 1040 to 970 BC. We certainly know more about him than any other biblical character. He was hand-picked by God to be anointed as King while still a young shepherd; “And from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.” (I Samuel 16:13). Raised a shepherd boy, the last of eight boys, the one everyone seemed to overlook, he became a renowned musician, a legendary poet, a fierce warrior, and the most beloved King in the history of Israel.
A Musician for Royalty. Young David’s skills as a musician were revealed early in his life: “Now the Spirit of the Lord had left Saul, and the Lord sent a tormenting spirit that filled him with depression and fear… ‘Let us find a good musician to play the harp whenever the tormenting spirit troubles you, Saul. He will play soothing music, and you will soon be well again…’ And whenever the tormenting spirit from God troubled Saul, David would play the harp. Then Saul would feel better, and the tormenting spirit would go away.’ (1 Samuel 16:14-23). David’s musical talent never left him, and were the centerpiece of his entire life and witness.
Hints of Jesus. David was a faithful worshiper of Yahweh, and, the highest accolade one could receive, he was “a man after God’s own heart.” (1 Samuel 13:14). Was he a prophet? Yes. His psalms prove that. Was he a priest? Well, he led worship and offered sacrifices when the ark was brought to Jerusalem, wearing a priestly garment at the time. Was he a king? Unquestionably, the greatest king of Israel. David’s life certainly hinted at his distant relative, the Messiah Jesus, who was the ultimate Prophet, Priest and King.
The Sweet Psalmist. In a full life of major spiritual, political, familial events, how did he see himself? The biggest clue to his self-identity is in his last address to the people, his last official words before his death. There is a phrase in II Samuel 23:1 that has been interpreted two different ways. Both versions are interesting and instructive. In the first version, he called himself the “sweet psalmist of Israel.” The other translations reads, “the favorite singer of the songs of the Mighty One.”
The Ultimate Maestro. Music was David’s life, which he proved as he took it upon himself to organize the worship for the Temple he planned but did not build. He arranged the worship music to be led by 4,000 persons with instruments, 288 accomplished singers who would lead the services with their cymbals, harps and lyres, and 120 priests who would accompany the worship with sounding trumpets! David arranged the worship music as described in 2 Chronicles 5 this way, “The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: ‘The Lord Yahweh is good! His mercy endures forever!”
An Inspired Musical Tongue. After a dramatic life of tumultuous ups and downs, it appears he still at the end saw himself primarily as a musician of the Lord, the one who composed countless psalms for the God of Israel, worship songs in Scripture that continue to be revered and sung to this day. Because of his many psalms, we know he was a man who rejoiced, lamented, prophesied, praised, wept, raged, questioned, trusted, and revealed himself to be a thoroughly complex person who experienced deep emotions and profound insights. It seems that at the end of his life, David circled back and saw himself as the young boy playing his harp and singing for his sheep and for his Lord God.
Meditations on the Wondrous God. David was indeed a “man after God’s own heart,” and it’s easy to see why he seemed to be especially favored by the Lord. He will forever be known as the “sweet psalmist of Israel,” and the following excerpts from his psalms of praise are worthy meditations of our wondrous God whom David loved and revered so much.
Pili (pil-ee), Pala, or Pele = the Hebrew word which means: wondrous; miraculous; unsurpassed; something so wonderful that it is beyond comprehension; remarkable, extraordinary, marvelous; so awesome it cannot be understood by humans; so amazing that it seems impossible or too difficult to accomplish; so uniquely set apart from human understanding that it is God’s secret.
“I will give thanks to Lord Yahweh with my whole heart; I will recount all Your wondrous (“pala”) deeds. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.” (Ps. 9:1-2).
“I wash my hands in innocence and go around Your altar, O Lord Yahweh, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all Your wondrous (“pala”) deeds!” (Ps. 26:6-7).
“Oh, how abundant is Your goodness, which You have stored up for those who reverently fear You and worked for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the children of mankind! In the cover of Your presence You hide them from the plots of men; You store them in Your shelter from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the Lord Yahweh, for He has wondrously (“pala”) shown His steadfast love and mercy to me…” (Ps. 31:19-21).
“Blessed is the one who makes the Lord Yahweh his trust, who does not turn to the proud or go astray after a lie! You have multiplied, O Lord my God, Your wondrous (“pala”) deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told!” (Ps. 40:4-5).
“Praise forever Yahweh-God, the God of Israel! He is the one and only God of wonders (“pala”), surpassing every expectation! The blazing glory of His name will be praised forever! May all the earth overflow with His glory! Amen! Amen!” (Ps.72:18-19).
“There is none like You among the gods, O Lord Yahweh, nor are there any works like Yours. All the nations You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your name. For You are great and do wondrous (“pala”) things; You alone are God.” (Ps. 86:8-10).
“I will extol You, my God and King, and bless Your name forever and ever! Every day I will bless You and praise Your name forever and ever! Great is the Lord Yahweh, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous (“pala”) works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of Your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. The Lord Yahweh is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord Yahweh is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made.” (Ps. 145:1-9).
David’s First Big Hit. David composed his first great song of thanksgiving when he placed the Ark of the Covenant in a special tent, a Tabernacle, that he had set up in Jerusalem. And what did he do immediately after housing the Ark? David proceeded to continue the joy, continue the worship, continue the music! He appointed a group of Levites to bless the Lord with lyres, harps, cymbals and trumpets in front of the Tabernacle. And David gave to these musicians a special song he wrote, just for this occasion. The psalm in 1 Chronicles 16:8-36 is a mosaic of excerpts from Psalm 105, Ps. 96, and Ps. 106.This was the first time that the appointed musicians blessed the Lord with music in David’s musical program before the Ark, music to be offered daily in worship of the God of Israel. “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness,” began David’s song. “Let the whole world know what He has done!” David’s song of Thanksgiving was written around 1040 BC, immediately following his placing of the Ark in the Tabernacle tent in Jerusalem. His song is a high point of praise in Scripture, and it reveals David at his best, as “Israel’s singer of songs.” This song is ecstatic in praise of Yahweh, and shows the heart of David in his element, his joy in praising the Lord with exuberant music. David’s song is a heavenly mouthful. We’ll all be singing this song around the throne in Paradise. David’s song focused on who God is, and what we are to do in our faithful response.
The National Motto of God’s Mercy. In 1 Chronicles 16:34, David offers for the first time in the Hebrew Bible a lyric that is probably the most repeated refrain in Scripture: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His mercy endures forever!” The refrain “His mercy endures forever” became a centerpiece in the worship liturgy in the spiritual life of Israel. The refrain was repeated at Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, for instance, and in a number of other times in Biblical history. The Hebrew warriors even used that refrain as a war cry before battle, which eventuated in an Israelite victory. This affirmation of God’s mercy appears 34 times in the Psalms alone. According to author Michael Card, this refrain practically turned itself into a national motto. Circling back to this first song of praise, David is rejoicing in front of the Ark of the Covenant, which has the blessed Mercy Seat as its cover, where the Lord reveals His glory. God’s glory is His mercy. The light of His presence is found in His mercy. And God’s supply of unfailing love and compassionate loyalty is eternal, everlasting, forever. David wants to make sure all the people remember that His mercy will never run out, that mercy is a central part of God’s eternal character, His divine essence. It seems that often in David’s life, he saw his mission as reminding his people of God’s pure mercy.
David’s Final Song. This Scripture passage found in 2 Samuel 23:1-5 offers insight into what was on David’s mind during his last days. “These are the last words of David: ‘David, the son of Jesse, speaks – David, the man who was raised up so high, David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, David, the sweet psalmist of Israel. The Spirit of Yahweh speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue. The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: ‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, is like the light of morning at sunrise, like the morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’ Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success.” We find David speaking prophetically in this version of his last words. He at first rejoiced in his status before the Lord… He was raised up high by the Lord; he was hand-picked and anointed by the God of Israel; he was enabled by God to become the “sweet psalmist of Israel;” his tongue was filled with the words of the Spirit of Yahweh; he was even on speaking terms with the God of Jacob! David’s whole identity was wrapped up in his Lord. His last words are exultant in what God had done through him and for him. In his final words, David gloried in the fact that the Lord inspired him, that the Spirit of the Lord spoke directly to him, that Yahweh’s word was “on his tongue.” In the end, David was confident that he had been an inspired mouthpiece for his wondrous God.