Meditation and Singing

In his wilderness experience, David made five decisions that would deepen his connection with God. First, he decided to imagine the Lord’s physical presence. Then he decided to express praise for God out loud. His third decision is to devote himself to a mental discipline many in the twenty-first century do not clearly understand: meditation. He decided to meditate on the Lord (63:6).

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Satisfaction in Praise

David’s lonely wilderness sanctuary left him thirsty and hungry, not only for food, but for meaningful interaction with his God (Psalm 63:1–2). As his song continues, David describes a second decision he made to cultivate a relationship with the Lord: he decided to express praise to the Lord (63:3–5). Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.

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Facing Fear with a Song of Faith

When fear has us in its icy grip, we quickly turn toward self-preservation. We hope to avoid loss, escape pain, or cheat death. Not David! His composition, preserved for us as Psalm 27, gives priority to eternal matters. Verses 4-6 revolve around the idea of David’s desire to maintain constant, intimate fellowship with his Lord.

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Facing Fear with Praise

As David faced his fears and expressed them to God in Psalm 27, he began with worship, celebrating the power and faithfulness of his God. Declaration of Praise: The key to the entire song is verse 1. It consists of two similar sentences, each ending with a rhetorical question. “The Lord is my light . . . my salvation . . . the defense of my life.” Interestingly, David says God is all of this.

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Staying Faithful Together

David’s prayer for protection while enduring mistreatment didn’t merely ask God for help; the king’s song included a commitment on his part. Resolved: I will be faithful in public worship. O LORD, I love the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells. (26:8)

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An Attitude of Gratitude

King David knew the sting of unjust treatment as keenly as anyone in history. To keep mistreatment from undermining his relationship with God, he put some resolutions into a song. Having committed to remaining open before the Lord and to remembering His love, David committed to letting God be the judge of others’ sin. Resolved: I will refuse the temptation to get even.

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A Message from God

As though David continues his worship service, he opens his mouth and shares a message from God, which is the major theme of this composition. We can imagine his standing before the people and preaching about the needs of humanity and the grace of God. First, he considers the pitiful inadequacy of humanity. Read verses 3 and 4 slowly. Think them over and enter into the mental picture David has in mind.

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A Song of Praise

Having worshiped God in a short doxology, David reflects on the greatness of his God and, in doing so, offers praise. Observe as King David takes his place before a congregation of believers to lead them in worship. [You] have displayed Your splendor above the heavens! From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength because of Your adversaries

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Songless Saints

I was on a scriptural safari. Prowling through the Ephesian letter, I was tracking an elusive, totally unrelated verse when God’s sharp sword flashed, suddenly slicing me to the core . . . speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19)

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Thanks for God’s Giving

I USED TO FEEL A LITTLE SORRY FOR Thanksgiving in Southern California when my family and I lived there. Since leaves don’t turn and pumpkins don’t get frosty, it’s tough to get Thanksgiving fever. The problem is compounded when stores jump from Halloween masks to Christmas trees. But at the risk of sounding a bit dated, I’d like to stand in defense of what I consider the greatest holiday of the year.

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