5 Ways David Lived a Lifestyle of Praise to Honor God
Before David was anything important in the world, he was a worshipper. The book of Psalms captures some of his songs, poems, and prayers to the Lord, but the full scope of David’s lifestyle of praises could never be recorded. Why?
Because David’s praise to the Lord was alive in his heart. In fact, it was through this intimate, personal, emotional worship connection that David expressed to the Lord how important He was. David’s praise in God’s presence created a dynamic, unique, and powerful connection and through that, the Lord showed David how important he was to Him, too.
- David was a man that the Lord knew He could trust to “fulfill My entire will.”(Acts 31:22)
- David was a man who was willing to hear and obey.
- David was a man after God’s own heart because of his praise. (1 Samuel 13:14)
It was from a personal overflow of the presence of God that David inspired the people around him to worship as well, and that same influential spiritual power is held by you, too!
The Tabernacle of David is Where Praise Pours from the Heart
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 return the kingdom once again.
“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…”
During this celebration, the way that David praised the Lord was something no one never seen! Before David’s time, God’s presence could only be accessed through the Holy of Holies by the High Priest – a form of ministry to the Lord called “The Tabernacle of Moses”.
However, what David did that was so transformative to creating intimacy with the Lord was to access God’s presence from within his own heart! Entering into God’s presence from within the heart sparked a revival of the heart and redefined praise forever after.
Entering into God’s presence from within the heart sparked a revival of the heart and redefined praise forever after.
~ Alicia Purdy ~
In fact, the intimacy of the heart’s praise became known as “The Tabernacle of David”. It was because David desired more of God, and because David gave God more of himself that, in return, the Lord honored him with more – of everything!
5 Ways David Lived a Lifestyle of Praise to Honor God
What did David do that make all the difference? He took action on his faith in the Lord and showed his love, respect, and gratitude to the Lord through his praise. For David, praise and worship weren’t PART of his life. Praise and worship WERE his life in every area, in every season, and for every reason.
1. David made a place for the Lord, first.
According to 1 Chronicles 16:1, “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...”
David always made a place for the Lord before he made any provision for anyone else- even himself. For David, God was first and his lifestyle of praise showed his priorities.
2. David drew near to the Lord with offerings of thanksgiving.
According to 2 Chronicles 16:2, “When David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord…”
Before David blessed anyone else, he blessed the Lord. David’s lifestyle of praise was built around gratitude, which is how all praise begins. It was evident in David’s priorities that the Lord came first and before he took care of anyone else, he showed the Lord the respect and honor he is due by giving back in the sacrifice of praise.
3. David blessed others from the overflow of God’s blessing on his life.
According to 2 Chronicles 16:3, “…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…”
You are blessed to be a blessing! No – you’re not problem-free: NO ONE IS. But you are blessed by God. You have the uncommon, uncanny ability to find victory in battle, triumph adversity, and peace in the storms. With that gratitude in your heart, it’s time to turn and bless another person.
David was a blessed man because he was a man well acquainted with and connected to the Lord. But the Lord blessed David so that, through David, all the world would be blessed. The same principle applies to believers today.
Whatever blessings God has given you, bless Him first in praise, then… multiply them by caring for His people!
4. David led people by example in his lifestyle of praise by ministering to the Lord continually.
David was a man filled with flaws and shortcomings, like everyone else, but it was David’s lifestyle of praise 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.
In Psalm 40:1-3 (MEV), David recounts some of the dark seasons of his life saying:
“I waited patiently for the Lord, and He turned to me, and heard my cry. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet on a rock, and established my steps. He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God; many will see it, and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”
It doesn’t matter how David got himself into the horrible pit or miry clay – he cried out to the Lord and the Lord answered and rescued him! But he didn’t just turn and walk away: HE TESTIFIED of what the Lord had done.
David didn’t turn his back on God – he turned his face to God in praise regardless of his situation. Praise empowered David to withstand life’s pressures through to the manifestation of the promises!
5. David’s praise was always gratitude expressed in a new song to the Lord.
- In Psalm 40:3 David wrote, “…He has put a new song in my mouth, even praise to our God; many will see it, and fear, and will trust in the Lord.“
- In Psalm 34:1 David wrote, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise will continually be in my mouth.”
- In Psalm 59:16 David wrote, “I will sing of Your power; I will sing aloud of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my refuge and escape in the day of my trouble.”
How could David always have a “new song” for the Lord when life is so hard? Because he didn’t blame God for the bad things in life! GOD IS GOOD. David had a heart of gratitude. He had a perspective of gratitude. He had the actions of gratitude. He had the blessings of gratitude.
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 because his had a lifestyle of praise.
David danced before the Lord no matter who was watching. David humbled himself before he was ever a king. David lifted the Lord high before elevating his own status and it was the Lord who lifted David high in return. If you want what David had – do as David did!
The desire of your Father’s heart is to connect with your heart- intimately, personally, and emotionally and it is through praise and worship that connection is developed.
Learn more about the 7 Hebrew Words for Praise and how each one helps create strength, intimacy, and fresh revelation as you understand more about God’s plan for praise in your life!
A lifestyle of praise is a commitment where you build your life around praise – not the other way around. You make a place for God, first, presenting yourself to Him as a continual sacrifice of thanksgiving, singing a new song, “making melody in your heart to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:19)
David’s emphasis on worshipping the Lord – above all else he ever did – set him apart in the Lord’s eyes.
His lifestyle of praise changed everything for him.
- Did it take time? Yes.
- Did he still have battles to fight? Yes.
- Did he still struggle with sin? Yes.
- Did the Lord set him and his family apart for eternity and place them right in the middle of the lineage of Jesus Christ? YES!
Plus, the world around you will be inspired to worship the Lord as well- and you’ll find yourself living life in the overflow!
The natural outcome of that lifestyle of worship is that you will minister to and inspire those around you by 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 sees you too.
