Foundations of the Faith - David

David modeled a heart of worship

God reminded Samuel that the heart is more important than outward appearances - 1 Samuel 16:7

1 Samuel 16:7 NIV

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

When Saul disobeyed God, Samuel revealed that God was looking for “a man after His own heart” - 1 Samuel 13:13-14

1 Samuel 13:13–14 NIV

“You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”

David understood praising God - Psalm 29:1-2

Psalm 29:1–2 NIV

Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.

The book of Psalms concludes with five calls to praise

1. We are to praise God all our life - Psalm 146:1-2

Psalm 146:1–2 NIV

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

2. It is pleasant to praise God - Psalm 147:1-5

David first tells us it is pleasant and fitting to praise God - vs.1

Psalm 147:1 NIV

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

David then lists his reasons for praising God

Psalm 147:2–5 NIV

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

3. All of creation praises the Lord - Psalm 148:1-6

Psalm 148:1–6 NIV

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts. Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at his command they were created, and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away.

4. We are to praise God for His relationship with His people - Psalm 149:1-5

Psalm 149:1–5 NIV

Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

David further explains the marvel of God’s relationship with us in Psalm 8:3-9

Psalm 8:3–9 NIV

When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Our response to God is to humble bow before Him - Psalm 95:6-7

Psalm 95:6–7 NIV

Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,

5. We are to praise God in everything - Psalm 150:1-6

Psalm 150:1–6 NIV

Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.