Before the gods I will sing…
When David wrote, “…before the gods I will sing Your praise,” he was making an incredibly powerful statement about the role of worship in his life. While David certainly lived among a national people who refused to let go of the many false gods in their lives that they had procured from outside influences and foreign nations, David knew there was only One, true God. He was not ashamed to worship the Lord among the gods and idols surrounding him because his desire was to usher in the glory of the Lord to outshine them. He worshipped with his whole heart, and his body, in front of many unbelieving, doubtful people – even his own wife – who mocked him for his worship (2 Samuel 6:16), whose hearts were turned away from God. He didn’t care.
An idol, the thing that will draw your attention and your worship away from God is something much more subtle… not something you’re worshipping with your hands, but with your heart
While most people don’t deal with actual false gods today as David had to contend with, idolatry is nonetheless alive and well. Do you worship the One true God before the other gods in your life? Can you even identify them? An idol, or god, isn’t always the obvious, carved little statue you can easily identify and choose to walk away from. An idol, the thing that will draw your attention and your worship away from God is something much more subtle… not something you’re worshipping with your hands, but with your heart.
What about among those that you know are watching you? “With my whole heart,” David declared! Are you able to tune out the mockers, the people staring, and worship God with your whole heart in front of them, as David did? He did not care about the opinion of anyone other than God and God’s blessing was poured upon his life without restraint. “In blessing I will bless you,” God promised in Genesis 22:17. “With the faithful, You prove Yourself faithful” David declared in Psalm 18:25- and he knew this for a fact!
Thought for today
If it didn’t cost you something to worship God, it would not be a sacrifice of praise! Will it be difficult? Yes, if your sacrifice of praise is truly sacrificial for you, you can expect to fight against self-consciousness, fear of opinions, of looking stupid or even crazy. Maybe your reputation or appearance is one of your idols! Yes, you can expect people will talk when you worship “among the gods”. People will notice your crazy, passionate, full-on physical acts of sacrificial worship- but so will God!
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