The Lord Reigns

1 And they brought in the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God. 2 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord 3 and distributed to all Israel, both men and women, to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins.

4 Then he appointed some of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the Lord, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel. 5 Asaph was the chief, and second to him were Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, who were to play harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, 6 and Benaiah and Jahaziel the priests were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of the covenant of God. 7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
    make known his deeds among the peoples!
9 Sing to him, sing praises to him;
    tell of all his wondrous works!
10 Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
11 Seek the Lord and his strength;
    seek his presence continually!
12 Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
    his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
13 O offspring of Israel his servant,
    children of Jacob, his chosen ones!

14 He is the Lord our God;
    his judgments are in all the earth.
15 Remember his covenant forever,
    the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant that he made with Abraham,
    his sworn promise to Isaac,
17 which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
    to Israel as an everlasting covenant,
18 saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
    as your portion for an inheritance.”

19 When you were few in number,
    of little account, and sojourners in it,
20 wandering from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another people,
21 he allowed no one to oppress them;
    he rebuked kings on their account,
22 saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
    do my prophets no harm!”

23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
    Tell of his salvation from day to day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous works among all the peoples!
25 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
    and he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
    but the Lord made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
    strength and joy are in his place.

28 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
    ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
29 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
    bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
30     tremble before him, all the earth;
    yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
    and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    let the field exult, and everything in it!
33 Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
    before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

35 Say also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,
    and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name
    and glory in your praise.
36 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord. – 1 Chronicles 16:1-36 ESV

This passage provides evidence for why God considered David to be a man after His own heart. Despite his flaws, David was deeply committed to God and fully aware of his dependence upon the Lord’s love, mercy, and grace. Since his anointing by Samuel as a young boy, David had learned to rely upon the presence and power of God in his life. His journey from the sheepfold to the palace had not been an easy one, but God had been with him all along the way. He had experienced periods of extreme difficulty and moments of exhilarating victory. He had been able to survive the former and rejoice in the latter because of the sovereign hand of God.

As he celebrated his consolidated kingship and the successful placement of the Ark of the Covenant within the walls of Jerusalem, David expressed his immense gratitude to God for all He had done. By transferring the ark to his newly established capital city, David was reminding the people of Israel that God was going to be at the center of his reign. In fact, he wanted every Israelite to understand that it was God who was their true King.

"Let the heavens be glad, and the earth rejoice! Tell all the nations, 'The Lord reigns!'" ­– 1 Chronicles 16:31 NLT

This entire ceremony was intended to elevate Yahweh among the people by making Him the center of attention. The ark was nothing more than a symbol of God’s abiding presence. It possessed no magical powers and, on its own, could provide no benefits to the people of Israel. But it had been designed by God and deemed the seat on which His glory would descend and rest. When God gave Moses the plans for constructing the Tabernacle, He included the specifications for the ark and the Mercy Seat that served as its cover or lid.  

“Then make the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold. It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide. Then make two cherubim from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover. Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold. The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it. Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.” – Exodus 25:17-22 NLT

In essence, the Mercy Seat served as God’s earthly throne. It was from there that He ruled and reigned over His chosen people during their days of wandering in the wilderness. David wanted his new subjects to understand that their allegiance was to be to God Almighty, not him. David served as a vice-regent under the one true King. It was God who was worthy of worship and reverence. Despite his crowning as king, David knew that his role was still that of a shepherd tasked with shepherding the flock of God. David had been chosen to care for sheep of God’s pasture, but they had proved to be particularly wayward and stubborn.

…he [God] led his own people like a flock of sheep,
    guiding them safely through the wilderness.
He kept them safe so they were not afraid;
    but the sea covered their enemies.
He brought them to the border of his holy land,
    to this land of hills he had won for them.
He drove out the nations before them;
    he gave them their inheritance by lot.
    He settled the tribes of Israel into their homes.

But they kept testing and rebelling against God Most High.
    They did not obey his laws. – Psalm 78:52-56 NLT

Over the years, the Israelites displayed a stubborn rebellious streak that repeatedly tested God’s patience. Their demand for a king had resulted in the appointment of Saul, who proved to be a bitter disappointment. But God graciously provided a replacement who would shepherd His flock well.

He chose his servant David,
    calling him from the sheep pens.
He took David from tending the ewes and lambs
    and made him the shepherd of Jacob’s descendants—
    God’s own people, Israel.
He cared for them with a true heart
    and led them with skillful hands. – Psalm 78:70-72 NLT

The chronicler knew that his audience of returned exiles longed for the day when God would give them a king like David. They suffered from the-good-old-days syndrome, dreaming of the moment when they would have their own king who would shepherd them with a true heart and lead them with skillful hands. But the chronicler wanted them to understand that God was their King and he still ruled and reigned among them.

By including David’s song of thanksgiving, the chronicler drove home the message that Yahweh sits on His throne ruling over all mankind and accomplishing His divine will as He sees fit. As David began his long-awaited reign as the king of Israel, he reminded his subjects that God was the ultimate king of their nation. David set up the ark in the capital city of Jerusalem to assure his subjects that this kingdom was a theocracy first and a monarchy second. David reigned on God's behalf and at His bequest. God had put him on the throne and God could just as easily remove him. Both David and the people were obligated to treat God with the dignity, honor, and reverence He deserved.

David led the people in a celebration of God's goodness and grace. The arrival of the Ark in the city of Jerusalem was a reminder that God was intimately involved in their lives. For that reason, He deserved their praise, worship, allegiance, and thanksgiving. David reminded them of all that God has done on their behalf. He recalled God's faithfulness and redemptive work in their lives over the years.

Remember the wonders he has performed,
    his miracles, and the rulings he has given… – 1 Chronicles 16:12 NLT

He wanted them to know that their God was good and worthy of praise.

Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
    Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
    Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! – 1 Chronicles 16:23-25 NLT

It was the Israelites’ relationship with God that set them apart from all the other nations. He was the difference maker. It was their status as God’s chosen people that made them unique among all the other people groups that populated the planet at that time. God was real and not an idol. He was powerful and not just a figment of someone's fertile imagination, and He had been intimately involved in every aspect of their daily lives for generations.

They wandered from nation to nation,
    from one kingdom to another.
Yet he did not let anyone oppress them.
    He warned kings on their behalf:
“Do not touch my chosen people,
    and do not hurt my prophets.” – 1 Chronicles 16:20-22 NLT

For all that, He is to be worshiped, praised and obeyed.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.
   Let all the earth tremble before him.
    The world stands firm and cannot be shaken. – 1 Chronicles 16:29-30 NLT

The chronicler used these powerful words of David to remind the remnant of returned exiles that their God was still powerful and fully capable of meeting their needs. He knew that they were demoralized and doubting the goodness and greatness of God. As they surveyed the state of the city of Jerusalem, they saw its broken-down walls, its dilapidated houses, and the hastily restored Temple that was a sad shadow of the grand house that Solomon had built. To make matters worse, the Holy of Holies of this Temple was missing the Ark of the Covenant. The chronicler knew that they were questioning the presence and power of God, so he used this historical moment from the life of David to restore their confidence and trust in their ever-present, all-powerful God.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever.
Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation!
    Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
    and rejoice and praise you.”

Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    who lives from everlasting to everlasting! – 1 Chronicles 16:34-36 NLT

This passage also serves as a timely reminder to all those who call themselves the people of God. The words of David should convict us of the many times we doubt and become disillusioned with God’s seeming absence or apathy toward our circumstances. Both David and the chronicler would have us recall that our God is just as powerful today as He was then. He is timeless and tireless when it comes to His providential care for His people. He deserves our praise as much as He did theirs. He is worthy of our thanks, praise, honor, and obedience – because He alone is God and it is He alone who is to reign in the lives of His people.

Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
    Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor. – 1 Chronicles 16:29 NLT

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
    His faithful love endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34 NLT

God is worthy of worship, deserving of praise, and fully owed our thanksgiving and honor for all that He has done for us.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Primer on Prayer.

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” – Matthew 6:5-8 ESV

The Jews were a praying people. Prayer was an important part of their religious practice. They had prayers, like the Shema, that were to be recited both morning and evening. Services were held throughout the day at the synagogue where the people of Israel could gather for prayer. So, the topic of prayer was not uncommon among those who heard Jesus speak that day. Jesus was not promoting the need for prayer. He was trying to expose the false motivation behind their prayers. Once again, He warns them against hypocrisy – a form of play-acting, where outward appearances were meant to be deceiving. The Greek word is hypokritēs and was used to describe an actor in a play. An actor’s job was to pretend to be someone else, and a good actor was successful when the audience became convinced that he was who he was pretending to be.

The problem Jesus is attempting to address is the presence of hypocrisy in matters of faith. Posing and pretending were not to be part of the life of a child of God. Prayer was important to God. Communication between Almighty God and man was important to Him. Prayer was a means by which men could express their needs to God, but also declare the glories of God. They could ask things of Him, but were also expected to offer praises to Him for all He had done for them already. And yet, prayer had become just another means of promoting personal piety. Praying in public, where others could see and hear you, was not only a way to get noticed, but admired for your obvious spirituality. Public praying was a way to put your righteousness on display, for all to see. But Jesus says, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them” (Matthew 6:5 NLT). The purpose of prayer was not to get noticed by men, but heard by God. Prayer was not meant to be a public display of your piety or personal righteousness. Remember what Jesus said? “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1 ESV). Like alms-giving, prayer had become nothing more than a means to an end, and the end was the praise of men. When Jesus warns them not to practice “your righteousness” before other people, He is not complimenting them on what they are doing. He is not telling them that their giving of alms and public prayers were righteous acts. He is describing what they were doing as self-righteousness. It was their own, self-produced brand of righteousness. And just so we’re clear, Jesus is not saying that alms-giving or public prayer are wrong. He is simply using these two things as examples of good and godly acts that had become misunderstood and misused by men and women who were desperately wanting others to see them as something they were not. They wanted to be viewed as righteous and holy by their peers, so all they did, they did to get noticed.

But Jesus is out to tell them that they are focused on the wrong audience. They are trying to convince the wrong people of their righteousness. It should have been God they were worried about, not men. He should have been the focus of their prayers. And rather than spending their time trying to convince others that they were something they were not, they would have been better off letting God know exactly who they were. It was Os Guinness who wrote, “I live before the audience of One – before others I have nothing to gain, nothing to lose, nothing to prove.”

It is important that we recognize that Jesus is not condemning public prayer. But prayer is intended, first and foremost, to be a spiritual activity. It is meant to be a conversation between man and God. Prayer is intended for adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication. It is meant to give to God (glory, honor, adoration). But it also provided as a means by which men can get from God (forgiveness, healing, guidance). Jesus is rejecting the idea of righteousness being inextricably linked to public prayerfulness. Jesus is saying that, if you pray to impress men, you will fail to gain approval from God. Acts of righteousness done with nothing more than recognition in mind are not acts of righteousness at all, but right things done for the wrong reason. Jesus is exposing the kind of prayer that is self-focused, and meant to get you seen and heard. That is prayer meant to impress, not confess. It’s prayer meant to gain the praise of men, not offer praise to God. It’s prayer designed to boost our reputation before men, not boast in the reputation of God.

So, what are we to do? Not pray? No, Jesus says that we are to go into our room, shut the door and pray to God – in private – where no one else can see. And God, who sees all, will not only see you, He will hear you, and reward you. He will bless you, approve of you, and express His pleasure with you by answering your prayers. The apostle John tells us,

And we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him. And since we know he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for. – 1 John 5:14-15 NLT

In essence, Jesus is telling us that if we prayer in order to impress men and to get their praise, we will get what it is we desire: Their praise. But we won’t get what we prayed for from God. If getting noticed for our prayers is more important to us than getting our prayers answered by God, we will become well-known and revered for our prayer life, but God won’t become known for His answers to our prayers. Prayers prayed to get noticed by men, will always fail to get men to notice God. But our responsibility as God’s children is to bring glory to Him, not ourselves. We are here to point men and women to God, not to us. We are meant to lift Him up, not ourselves.

Jesus goes on to describe an aspect of prayer with which we all struggle. How do you get God to hear and answer you? So, even if you pray in private, where no one can hear you but God, how do you make sure He really does hear you? Once again, Jesus exposes a misconception. He tells them, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again” (Matthew 6:7 NLT). When you talk to God, don’t try to impress Him with the length of your prayer or your choice of words. Don’t drone on and on, somehow thinking that God will be more prone to hear you if your prayer comes across as intense. It is neither the intensity or longevity of our prayers that cause God to answer. It is the motivation of our heart. James tells us, “when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure” (James 4:3 NLT). Wrong methods. Wrong motives. That’s the problem. Later on in this same message, Jesus will say:

“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.” – Matthew 7:7-11 NLT

We are to ask, and we are to trust God for the answer. He isn’t going to give us something we don’t need or can’t use. But it’s important to remember that God is not going to give us everything we ask for, because too often our motives are wrong. Also, we don’t always know what it is we actually need. We may think we need healing, but God knows we need to learn faith. We may ask God for a financial solution to our problem, when He knows that the real issue is spiritual in nature. We have a greed problem. So, rather than give us money, He teaches us to live within our means, learning to trust Him for our needs.

Sometimes, we spend far too much time asking God for things. But Jesus reminds us, “your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!” (Matthew 6:8 NLT). This doesn’t mean we don’t have to ask God for things, but that the purpose behind our prayer is not to share information with God, but to communicate our dependence upon God. We don’t pray to keep God up to speed with all that is going on in our life. He already knows. We pray in order to convey to Him our complete reliance upon Him for everything. Prayer is an act of submission to God. It is the adoration of God. It is a means by which we offer up our thankfulness for all that God has done and is doing in and around our life.

Prayer wasn’t meant to get you noticed by men. It also wasn’t intended to get you noticed by God. He already knows everything there is to know about you. Prayer is an expression of humility to God, showing Him that we are completely dependent upon Him for all things. But how easy it is to make prayer an expression of pride and self-promotion. So, Jesus warns us not to pray that way. But then He gives us an example of how we are to pray. But that’s for tomorrow.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson