The Heart of David

As one of the greatest collections of songs, prayers, and poetry; the book of Psalms expresses the deepest passions of humanity. In the pages of the psalms we can hear the psalmist's deepest cries in the midst of despair, but also his ecstatic praise of his Provider and Comforter. We can hear him pouring out his soul in confession, but also bubbling over with joy. The Psalms lead us through the valley's and peaks of life, but in the end they guide us to the praise of our loving God and Savior. Finding Jesus in the book of Job is a lot more complicated than finding Jesus in the Psalms. The Psalms are replete with allusions to Him. The coming King is a frequently repeated theme of those ancient Hebrew worship songs. Many specifically anticipate the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Psalm 47: " Oh clap your hands all you peoples ! Shout to God with the voice of triumph, for the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout. The Lord with the sound of a triumph. Sing praises to God, sing praises. Sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth, sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together. The people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God. He is greatly exalted." There are so many ways in which the people of God express their joy in Him, one is the clapping of hands in joyful adoration. It is principally the people of God who will praise our great King; but the call for the nations was always a part of the larger picture in the theology of the Psalms. The divine name usually translated the Lord is buttressed by the term Most High which speaks of Gods power over all the nations. The word Awesome in this case is related closely with the word for fear and suggests reverence for Almighty God. Great King is the key phrase of this Psalm. All Kings have derived authority, only one King, the great God of heaven is absolute in power and righteousness. The words whom He loves are perhaps the most significant contribution of this poem to our understanding of Gods purposes. To love means to make one's choice in. In his dialogue with Nicodemas, Jesus explained that God's love extended to all nations as well as Israel. The reason for the call to praise is clear; God is the King of all the earth; He deserves our praise. This psalm speaks of the coming great reign of Jesus when establishes his holy rule. We know God is King over all. There are other forces at work, but they function only by his permission. One day there will be an end to all evil, to all acts of rebellion and to all acts of oppression. David was a complex man. Through all his life, through all his ups and downs, David understood true worship and true praise. He knew how to humble himself and seek the Lord in all things. I really enjoy this Psalm and find great joy in it as David demonstrates who and why He is deserving of all our praise. As James says in his book "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." Oh Lord our God, King of the universe, ruler of all, we praise you.