Author: Calleen Hough

An act of worship

“And they told the king, saying, Behold Nathan the prophet. And when he was come in before the king, he bowed himself before the king with his face to the ground” (1 Kings 1:23). When Nathan bowed himself before the king, he was performing an act of worship. It was probably not typical for Nathan to bow before the king the way he did in this instance. The notation that he bowed with his face to the ground indicates that Nathan was lying prostrate, flat on the ground facing downward.

Nathan was most likely experiencing great distress because David’s son Adonijah had placed himself on the throne and the leaders of Israel were acknowledging him as their king. David had not yet appointed Solomon to be his successor. The transition of authority from David to Solomon was important because a gap in leadership could have led to chaos in the kingdom or instability in the region surrounding Israel.

Nathan’s act of worship emphasized David’s sovereignty as king and his position of authority as God’s representative on earth. At that time, there was no one more powerful than David in all the world. He was the closest to being equal with God that any man has ever come.

After Solomon was placed on the throne of the kingdom, it says in 1 Kings 1:47-48, “the king’s servants came to bless our lord king David, saying, God make the name of Solomon better than thy name, and make his throne greater than thy throne. And the king bowed himself upon the bed. And also thus said the king, Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, which hath given one to sit on my throne this day, mine eyes even seeing it.”

What I believe David thought he was seeing was the beginning of the Messiah’s reign. When Adonijah attempted to take the throne, it says in 1 Kings 1:5 that he “exalted” himself. The word translated exalted, “nacah is used of the undertaking of the responsibilities for the sins of others by substitution or representation” (5375). Recorded in 2 Samuel 7:12-16 is a promise from God to David that he would establish his kingdom for ever. Speaking of David’s successor, God said, “I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men.” Solomon committed iniquity and yet he was never chastened as described in this passage. On the other hand, Jesus never committed iniquity, but he was chastened because he was our substitute. Although he may have been unaware of it, Jesus was the one David was bowing himself to upon his bed.

Truth and mercy

Two components of a relationship with God are truth and mercy. Every relationship with the LORD has these characteristics, so if you know him, you should expect to see truth and mercy. They are evidence that a relationship actually exists. It says in Psalm 117 and 118 that the truth of the LORD and his mercy endureth for ever. That means they are eternal or timeless. God’s truth and mercy are always available.

God’s truth is associated with his work. It says in Psalm 111:7 that “the works of his hands are verity and judgment.” The same word translated verity in this verse is translated as truth in Psalm 117:2 where it says, “the truth of the LORD endureth for ever.” The Hebrew word ’emeth means stability (571). God is trustworthy. He is like a firm foundation that enables a house to stand for many years. Everything he does as a result of our relationship with him will withstand the test of time.

God’s mercy is associated with his love or lovingness toward those whom he has a relationship with. The Hebrew word for God’s mercy, chesed is often translated as loving-kindness. “Chesed implies personal involvement and commitment in a relationship beyond the rule of law…Biblical usage frequently speaks of someone ‘doing,’ ‘showing,’or ‘keeping’ chesed” (2617).

In Psalm 118:22-23 it says, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” The word translated doing in this passage is ’êth (ayth). It is properly translated as nearness. Eth is generally thought of as being with or by someone. Jesus quoted psalm 118:22-23 in his parable of the husbandmen (Matthew 21:42) except in the version of the story recorded in Mark 12:1-11, instead of saying this is the LORD’s doing, it indicates that Jesus said, “This was the LORD’s doing” (Mark 12:11).

The parable of the husbandmen is about the owner of a vineyard who tries to collect fruit from his husbandmen, but instead is left empty handed. Jesus’ reference to the stone that was rejected implied that he knew the chief priests and Pharisees were planning to kill him (Mark 12:12). In Psalm 118:17-18, it says, “I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD. The LORD hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.”

The love that God demonstrates is not sentimental, but intended to produce fruit or good results in the form of a visible expression of power (2590). God’s mercy or loving-kindness towards his son Jesus was demonstrated when he raised him from the dead, three days after the chief priests and Pharisees had him put to death. The truth of his resurrection is still be declared 2000 years later.

Count your blessings

“What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits towards me?” (Psalm 116:12). The word translated render, shûwb (shoob) means “‘to return or go back, bring back.’ The basic meaning of this verb is movement back to the point of departure” (7725). The question the Psalmist was asking was answered in the next verse of his psalm. “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD” (Psalm 116:13). What the Psalmist was saying was that he would enter into a relationship with the LORD because the LORD had blessed him.

It makes sense to have a relationship with someone that is good to you. God’s goodness is shown through his blessings. God’s first command to man was “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). Although all of God’s creation is subject to him (Psalm 114:3-8), God does not violate the free will of man by causing man to serve him. Only those who accept God’s gift of salvation and call upon his name are expected to serve God.

Rendering something to someone can be thought of as an exchange, like exchanging presents at Christmastime. If you give me a gift, I will want to give you a gift in return. The problem with giving a gift to God is he already owns everything. There is nothing we can give him that he doesn’t already own, including our lives. What we are doing when we give our lives to God is really giving it back to him. We are returning to him his possession.

It says in Psalm 115:12-13, “The LORD hath been mindful of us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.” To fear God means to give him reverence, to render to him the respect he deserves (3372). The small and great are those who are of value or important to God (1419) and those who are of no account, those who are insignificant or the least in his estimation (6994).  What this is saying is that God treats everyone equal in regards to his blessing. Whether you are an Israelite, a priest in the house of God, or a janitor, God will bless you if you show him proper respect.

The word translated mindful, yâkar (yaw – kar´) means “to mark (so as to recognize)” (2142). Another way to interpret the word yakar is to remember someone or to think about her on a continual basis. The phrase “cup of salvation” is often thought to be related to the cup of the Passover meal referred to in Matthew 26:27. Jesus commanded his disciples, “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). The last supper was an opportunity for followers of Jesus to enter into a new covenant that would result in blessing for anyone that accepted him as Savior. I believe the blessing of God is such that it increases over time or as you mature in your relationship with him. You can know how close you are to the LORD  by counting your blessings.

God is working

The Bible makes it clear that God is not sitting idle in Heaven, but is working on behalf of his people. It says in Psalm 111, “The works of the LORD are great…His work is honorable and glorious…He hath shewed his people the power of his works…the works of his hands are verity and judgment” (Psalm 111:2-3,6-7). The word translated verity, ’emeth (eh´ – meth) means stability (571). Emeth is contracted from the word ’âman (aw – man´) which means “to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse” (539).

God’s works are often described as wonderful. It says in Psalm 111:4, “He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered.” The word translated wonderful, pâlâ’ “is used primarily with God as the subject, expressing actions that are beyond the bounds of human powers or expectations” (6381). God is able to do what appears to be impossible to man. That is why faith is necessary for us to be blessed by him. It says in Psalm 112:1, “Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD.” The word translated feareth, yârê (yaw – ray´) means to stand in awe. “This is not simple fear, but reverence, whereby an individual recognizes the power and position of the individual revered and renders him proper respect” (3372).

One of the ways that we can show respect to God is to kneel before him. In ancient times, kings demanded that their subjects kneel before them. One of the best examples of this is king Nebuchadnezzar who made a gold image of himself and demanded that it be worshipped. It says in Daniel 3:5, “that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar hath set up.”

God does not demand that we fall down and worship him, but is blessed or happy when we kneel before him as an act of adoration (1288). God works on our behalf so that we will praise him. We are told in Psalm 113 that we are to “praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye, servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD” (Psalm 113:1). The word translated praise, hâlal (haw – lal´) means to make a show, to boast, to be foolish, or to rave. “The word halal is the source of ‘hallelujah’ a Hebrew expression of ‘praise’ to God which has been taken over into virtually every language of mankind” (1984).

Words that describe God’s work; great, honorable, glorious, and wonderful, indicate why they are intended to be remembered. God does things that we can’t forget. They are seared into our memory when they occur like a snapshot of a wedding or our favorite family photo. Imagine if you had seen the Red Sea parted or the walls of Jericho fall down. There is no way you could ever stop talking about it.

David’s heritage

The title of Psalm 127, “A song of degrees for Solomon” indicates it was written for Solomon, but does not tell us who the author is. The topic of the psalm is family and it states, “children are an heritage of the LORD and the fruit of the womb is his reward” (Psalm 127:3). It is possible that David wrote this psalm for his son Solomon shortly before his death.

The primary message conveyed in Psalm 127 is that there is a purpose for having children, which is to strengthen our walk with the LORD and to make us less vulnerable to attacks from our enemy, the devil. If you think of your walk with the LORD, or the development of your relationship with him, as being similar to building a city, then having children is like putting up a wall and fortifying the gates so that you cannot easily be attacked.

The basis of David’s relationship with the LOR was the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. There were many things that David did to make God’s kingdom a reality, but toward the end of his life, David realized there was much left to done. If David did not have a son to carry on the work he had started, then he might have given up and felt that his effort was useless.

David’s son Solomon was actually in a much better position to do some of the things David wanted to, like build the temple of God, therefore, David was assured that progress would continue even after he died. In spite of his sin with Bath-sheba, Solomon was born to David through their marriage. Solomon was a testimony to God’s forgiveness and a sign that David’s relationship with the LORD had been fully restored.

In Psalm 127, children are compared to arrows in the hand of a mighty man and it says that the man that has his quiver full of them will not be ashamed (Psalm 127:4-5). The word translated ashamed “has overtones of being or feeling worthless” (954). When Absalom took over David’s kingdom, David may have wondered what would become of Israel after he was gone. The fighting among his sons was a problem for maintaining peace inside and outside the nation.

It says in 1 Chronicles 29:24-25, “And all the princes, and the mighty men, and all thee sons likewise of king David, submitted themselves unto Solomon the king. And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as has not been on any king before him in Israel.” Solomon was David’s heritage of the LORD and by measure of his stature, he was a great reward to his father.

A perfect heart

David prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers…give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart” (1 Chronicles 29:18-19). David’s prayer for his son Solomon was a request for God to change Solomon’s heart so that he could rule over Israel effectively. The word translated perfect, shâlêm (shaw – lame´) means complete (8003) and is derived from a Hebrew word that “denotes perfection in the sense that a condition or action is complete” (7999).

What David was referring to was obedience and his intent was that Solomon would fulfill the law of God, that he would “keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes” (1 Chronicles 29:19) perfectly. In other words, David hoped that God would enable Solomon to live a perfect life.

God designed the human heart so that man could experience freedom. Our motives, feelings, affections, and desires drive us to act and we are able to learn from the outer world. The only way we can enter into a relationship with God and obey his commands is by choosing to do so. Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus had the freedom to choose to go to the cross or not. His prayer indicates that he did not want to, it was not Jesus’ desire to die for the sins of the world.

Although David thought it was possible for his son Solomon to live a perfect life, it was not Solomon, but Jesus that God gave a perfect heart to. In his sermon on the mount, Jesus declared, “Think not that I come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I come not to destroy, but to fulfil” (Matthew 5:17). The Greek word translated fulfil means to finish or complete (4137).

While Jesus was hanging on the cross, he spoke several important last words, one of which was, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus spoke to several people while he was on the cross, but it is unclear to whom this particular message was directed. It could be that it was a universal message to all that were listening. We know that is was not directed to his Father because Jesus had already stated that God had forsaken him.

I think Jesus’ statement regarding completion was directed to all the believers he was dying for. As he hung on the cross, Jesus was aware of what it felt like to be rejected by God. For a brief period of time, Jesus was a sinner as well as a Savior. Jesus understood what David was longing for when he prayed that his son Solomon would have a perfect heart and Jesus answered David’s prayer with the words, “It is finished.”

 

The four gates

The gates of Jerusalem represent four aspects of the Israelites’ history that enabled them to enter the Promised Land, but had to be walled off or left behind in order for them to dwell securely in the Promised Land. Each of the gates faced a different direction, one eastward, one northward, one southward, and one westward.

The gate that faced eastward (1 Chronicles 26:14) represented the aspect of perfection that was lost in the garden of Eden. Although the Israelites were encouraged to strive toward perfection, they had to accept that they would never regain what was lost when sin entered the world. The sacrificial system that was practiced was intended to remind them that they needed a savior in order to dwell securely in the Promised Land.

The gate that faced northward (1 Chronicles 26:14) represented the aspect of slavery that the Israelites were delivered from when God took them out of Egypt. Although the Israelites thought about returning to Egypt because they thought life was easier there, they had to give up idolatry in order to have a relationship with God. The Israelites learned that God’s holiness would not be compromised so that they could be blessed by him. The way for the Israelites to dwell securely in the Promised Land was to cut themselves off from the temptation to sin.

The gate that faced southward (1 Chronicles 26:15) represented the aspect of the Israelites history that took place while they were wandering in the wilderness. During the time the Israelites lived in the desert, they were divinely protected. Although they were given manna to eat, many people died in the desert because it was not meant to be their permanent home. The conditions in the desert were harsh and life could not be sustained indefinitely. The Promised Land flowed with milk and honey as long as the Israelites obeyed God. In order for them to dwell securely in the Promised Land, they had to obey God’s commands consistently.

The gate that faced westward (1 Chronicles 26:16) represented the aspect of the Israelites history that was associated with miracles such as the parting of the Red Sea, water coming from a rock, and crossing the Jordan when it was at a flood stage. These miracles gave the Israelites the impression that God would do things to keep them alive, but once they entered the Promised Land, they had to live normal lives. The Israelites had to fight their enemies, plant crops for food, and raise families in order to dwell securely in the Promised Land.

A gate is a barrier through which people and things must pass. Thinking about barriers to our minds, a gate can represent a mindset that needs to be established in order for our minds to be protected from our enemy, the devil. From that perspective, the four gates of Jerusalem represent mindsets expressed in these scriptures. John 17:23, “…that they may be made perfect in one.” John 8:36, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” 2 Corinthians 10:5, “…bringing every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:58, “…your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

 

We are not alone

Life can be challenging at times, especially when we try to server the LORD. Everyone has enemies, but I think the worst enemy of all is the one that attacks Christians who are in the ministry. Whether you think of him as Satan, the devil, or the ruler of darkness, the enemy of our souls does everything he can to stop Christians from doing God’s will.

The apostle Peter, speaking of the Christian life said, “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). I believe Peter used the image of a roaring lion in order to convey the idea of intimidation. Lions are powerful and dangerous, but they can be tamed. When Daniel was thrown into the lions den, he was able to escape unharmed (Daniel 6:22).

David said, “blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight” (Psalm 144:1). David may have been referring to spiritual warfare because the word he used for war is related to man’s entrance into the presence of the living God (7126). If so, using his hands could mean prayer and his fingers to fight, playing the harp to worship God.

Prayer and worship enable us to enter into the presence of God, but they also cause God to draw near to us. It says in James 4:8, “draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” David referred to the LORD as, “my goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust” (Psalm 144:2).

God’s greatness is far superior to man’s and all of his creation is subject to him. David said, “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (Psalm 145:3). The two Hebrew words that put together translate into the word unsearchable have the connotation of being undiscoverable or in another sense invisible. I believe one of the characteristics of God is that he can make himself invisible. We typically think of God as being invisible, but I don’t think he is invisible. I think God is hidden from our view and he is able to hide other things as well. David said to the LORD in Psalm 17:8, “hide me under the shadow of your wings.”

Satan’s effort to seek someone whom he may devour is thwarted when God hides his children under the shadow of his wings. In other words, we can become invisible to our enemy. David prayed, “Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will, for thou art my God” (Psalm 143:9-10). David was eager to do God’s will because he knew the LORD had him covered.

Exercise for the soul

Physical exercise is a relatively new concept in America. If you remember Jack LaLanne, then you know that in the 1960’s there were not many people that believed they needed regular physical exercise and fitness centers were exclusive clubs for the rich and famous. The information age has turned the majority of people into couch potatoes that rarely break a sweat without an intentional effort. It takes work to keep your body strong, especially if you want to be active in your later years.

Speaking to the LORD in Psalm 138, David said, “In the day when I cried thou answeredest me, and strengthened me with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3). The word soul or nephesh in Hebrew is also translated as life and person (5315). The word nephesh is derived from the word naphash which means to breathe (5314), so you could say in one sense that naphash refers to having breath in you or being alive.

When David said that the LORD strengthened him with strength in his soul, he meant that the LORD gave him a sense of vitality and exuberance toward life. The Hebrew word translated strength is also translated as power, might, and boldness (5797). In order for David to be strong in his soul, he had to exercise, he had to do what the LORD instructed him to do in his word.

David not only listened to the LORD, he did what the LORD told him to do, even when it seemed impossible. David said, “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it” (Psalm 139:5-6). The word translated wonderful, paliy is derived from the word pala which means to be beyond one’s ability to do (6381). David did not let the thought of impossibility stop him from doing what the LORD asked him to do. David realized that “although something may appear impossible to man, it still is within God’s power” (6381).

The thing that motivated David to exercise his soul was an awareness that God knew and understood him completely. David said, “O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and my uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1-3).

Thinking of the LORD as the trainer of his soul, David was willing to yield his life to the expert. David knew that the LORD wanted him to be a mighty warrior on the inside as well as on the outside. “The Hebrew system of thought does not include the opposition of the terms ‘body’ and ‘soul,’ which are really Greek and Latin in origin. The Hebrew compares/contrasts ‘the inner self’ and ‘the outer appearance’ or, as viewed in a different context, ‘what one is to oneself’ as opposed to ‘what one appears to be to one’s observers.’ The goal of Scriptures is to make the inner and outer consistent (5315).

Be quiet

When my kids were little, behavior was a concern for me if I took them out in public. Because they were close in ages, I had my hands full even though there were only three of them. It was difficult for me to accomplish anything and grocery shopping was a major ordeal. Eventually, they learned through experience that good behavior usually resulted in some kind of reward and bad behavior led to punishment.

In Psalm 31, David said, “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother” (Psalm 131.2). The word translated behaved, shâvâh (shaw – vaw´) figuratively means to resemble, and by implication to adjust, for example to be suitable for the situation or to compose oneself. (7737).

David was likening himself to a little child in order to express an attitude of submission, of a child that had been trained by a loving parent. David’s relationship with the LORD had matured to the point where he wanted to be like his heavenly Father, to show love and compassion to others as it had been shown to him.

David went on to say, “My soul is even as a weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever” (Psalm 131:2-3). A transition was taking placed in the kingdom that caused David to focus on worship rather than warfare. The courage and determination David had shown on the battlefield was no longer necessary. It was time for David to behave like a man of God rather than king of Israel.

The Hebrew word translated hope, yâchal (yaw – chal´) has the connotation of being still, to sit quietly and wait for something to happen (3176). Near the end of David’s life, he realized that the Messiah was Israel’s only hope for survival. As much as David wanted to believe that he could permanently establish God’s kingdom on earth, he knew that peace was extremely difficult to maintain. Like rambunctious children, the Israelites were inclined to fight with their neighbors and could not focus on God for an extended period of time.

David admitted that he did not completely understand the bigger picture when he said, “Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me” (Psalm 131:1). His humble attitude was a result of God’s discipline and his willingness to let go of the outcome a sign that David had reached the point where he understood that God was in control of Israel’s destiny. David’s main focus was on obedience and an anticipation of seeing his Savior face to face.