When David Danced Before the Lord, the World Danced too
David, the shepherd-turned-king, is the primary writer of the book of Psalms and is the forefather of modern praise and worship. How? In the days of Moses, the people were kept at a distance from God and only the High Priest could enter His presence in the “Tabernacle of Moses”. Yet the “Tabernacle of David” (Amos 9:11) was a foreshadow that reflected the heart of God for praise and worship- intimate, personal, emotional. Before David was anything important in the world, he was already ready worshipping the Lord and, in fact, David danced before the Lord in the fields, among the sheep, before he ever danced before the world. It was this intimate, personal, emotional worship that grabbed God’s attention and it was God who made him important.
David was a man that the Lord knew He could trust to “fulfill My entire will.”(Acts 31:22) He was a man who could be trusted to hear and obey. Why? Because David was a man well acquainted with and connected to the Lord and worship was that point of connection that kept Him close to the heart of God. What David did made all the difference: He worshipped in all areas of life, in all seasons and for all reasons. It was from his personal overflow of the presence of God that David inspired everyone else around him to worship as well, and that influential spiritual power is held by every believer.
5 Things David Did in Worship Before the Lord
In 1 Chronicles 16:1-36, David danced before the Lord – and the people – when the Ark of the Covenant had finally been brought back to Jerusalem. He was not only overjoyed on a natural level, but also a spiritual one because the presence of God was about to visit the kingdom once again and David was a lover of the presence of God. Revival was about to breakout…
“So they brought in the ark of God, placed it in the midst of the tent that David had erected for it, and drew near to God with burnt offerings and peace offerings. When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord. Then he distributed to all the children of Israel, both men and women, a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a raisin cake for each. And he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord God of Israel…the priests sounded trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God. On that day then, David delivered for the first time this psalm of thanksgiving to the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brothers…”
Here are 5 things David did as he led by example in praising the Lord :
- He made a place for God, first
- He drew near to the Lord with offerings of thanksgiving
- He blessed others from the overflow
- He led the people in ministering to the Lord continually
- He sang a new song to the Lord
It was from his personal overflow of the presence of God that David inspired everyone else around him to worship as well, and that influential spiritual power is held by every believer.
~Alicia Purdy
The way that David worshipped the Lord was something that the world had never seen! Before David came along, the God that the people understood was unapproachable, but because David desired more of the Lord, the Lord showed Him more. David was a man filled with flaws and shortcomings, like everyone else, but it was David’s lifestyle of worship that made him a “man after God’s own heart”. Worship kept David close to the Lord- even in the worst times in his life. The desire of your Father’s heart is to connect with your heart- intimately, personally, and emotionally. As you make a place for God, first, presenting Him yourself as a continual sacrifice of thanksgiving, singing a new song, “making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19), the world around you – even other Christians – will be inspired to worship the Lord as well- and you’ll find yourself living life in the overflow!
Thought for today: David Danced Before the Lord, First
The wonderful things David did for the Lord when he was the king on the throne in front of thousands were no different than what he had already been doing as a shepherd boy in the fields alone! He danced before the Lord no matter who was watching, lifting the Lord high, and it was the Lord who lifted David high in return. David’s emphasis on worshipping the Lord – above all else he ever did – was what set him apart in the Lord’s eyes. His lifestyle of worship changed everything for him. Did it take time? Yes. Did he still have to fight? Yes. Did he still struggle with sin? Yes. Did the Lord set him and his family apart for all eternity and place them right in the middle of the lineage of Jesus Christ? YES! If you want what David had, you must do as David did. Make a place for God, a set apart place where the Lord’s presence can remain in you. Offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving – you, your flesh, yourself, your inhibitions – and worship! The natural outcome of that lifestyle of worship is that you will minister to and inspire those around, without even trying, sharing with them from the abundance of your heart and testimony. People may watch you worship and maybe that makes you self-conscious, but remember this: God is watching too.
Get Inspired by the Life and Faith of David, a Man After God’s Own Heart!
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