Psalms

 Psalm 147

Praise the Lord

How awesome it is to worship with the nations

He is worthy of all our praise

God is rebuilding my heart

For years its been suffocating

but now He's breathing life

He gives me joy when life seems like a dark cloud

He heals the scars that no one else can see

He has named the trillions of stars that decorate the night sky

How awesome He is

who's great power is unmatched

He understands me and knows me as friend

He is there for me when others cast their judgments

For He protects the humble and sees their hearts

Sing to God with everything inside of you

and give Him thanks

He brings up the sun in the morning

and paints the evening sky as the sun goes down

He watches over all the animals and nourishes the earth each day

Can my strength and ability impress God?

His desire is that we fear Him

and then He is impressed

He finds joy in those who trust in Him for their strength

He is the one who has blessed my life

He is the one who has supplied my needs

Even the nations are under his care

God made Zion great

He was the one who made Israel prosper

His word is the ultimate authority

No ruler or leaders power can compare

Everyone shrinks in comparison to Him

At His word it all comes to an end

Cities fall and seasons change

God chose Israel to be His holy people

Those who call upon the name of the Lord

No one else can claim His inheritance

My own Psalm

I've come up short every day

I thank God for His grace and mercy

When I failed in my own strength

It was Him who picked me up

He gives me peace day by day

His path is good and safe for me to walk

He keeps my foot from slipping as I run through the river

There is no place that is unsafe when I follow His voice

He makes my feet grounded as I run

Even when I can't see where I'm stepping

I trust in Him that I will not fall

Each step is exhilarating and causes my faith to grow

My eyes are now only focuses ahead

I no longer worry where my feet will land.

His character proves true when the waters are rushing

I thank God that He does not change

I am forever grateful of the one who guides my steps

David's Character

David has a repentant heart in II Sam 12:13. Here David had killed Uriah after committing adultery with Bathsheba. The prophet Nathan comes and tells David a story of a man taking from the poor. David becomes furious at this man and Nathan tells David that he is that man. David doesn't have an excuse or say anything except, “I have sinned against the Lord.” In Psalm 51 we see David's repentant heart for what he had done.

God forgives him right away, but tells him his son will die. I think it angered God, but because David sought after God's heart, God had great mercy on him and was quick to forgive. In 1 Kings 15:5 it says that David did what was right in the sight of the Lord, except this one this with Uriah. It left a scar, a reminder that David had failed, but that God was still with him. God still say him as a righteous man though he sinned.

David is courageous in II Sam 17. David sees the men of Israel shaking in their armor as Goliath challenges them. David is horrified and courageously tells Goliath who he is in light of who God is. So David takes him on and defeats him.

David knew God's power and how little a giant was to him. This seemed to be David's initiation. In chapter 18 he gains favor with Saul and Jonathan. At this time as David continues in war and the people say,” Saul has killed his thousands, and David his ten thousands!” God must have been incredibly pleased because we hear of the favor on David's life after this. I picture David like Caleb and Joshua. God promised victory yet all of Israel chose to walk away from the promised land. Here there was a single giant and the Israelites were standing down in fear. Not David, he knew who God was and defeated the enemy.

David shows loyalty in II Sam 9. David remembers his covenant with Jonathan and looks for someone from his family. He seeks to bless them and finds that Mephibosheth, David's son was still alive.

Prov 28:20 in the CEV says, “God blesses his loyal people.” This is characteristic of God that we see a lot in scripture. God is loyal to those who are loyal. David is loyal to his old friend who had died in battle. He kept his promise and therefore kept his loyalty to Jonathan even when he was dead. I think God was proud of His son David at that time. He was reflecting God's own character and showing others that he was not only out to please himself.

David shows his thankfulness to God in a number of Psalms but I'll use Psalm 30:12. As David is dedicating the Temple to the Lord he has this song. He talks about how God has rescued him and has given him joy. He ends by saying that he is thankful and will be thankful forever.

Col 3:15 says to “always be thankful” and in Psalm 100:4 says to “enter his gates with thanksgiving.” God desires thankful hearts. He commands it in Col 3:15 and a psalmists says that this is a way we can worship God. As David is thankful to the Lord he is giving glory, and worship to God. He is also telling God that He is the one who made it possible. He gives credit to God. This is God's desire. We see it often in the stories of Israel. When they were thankful for what God had done they were blessed. But if they complained or if they were ungrateful God cursed them. We see this clearly in Num 11-12 as God punishes them for their complaining and ungratefulness for the miracle He was doing to provide for them. God values thankfulness and when his people are not grateful sometimes there are consequences.

David was obedient to God in II Sam 2:1-4. David asked God where he should go. He didn't want to go anywhere God wasn't leading him. When God told him where to go he listened. This is a very simple example. We know that many times David obeyed God. Acts 13:36 says that David “had done the will of God.” I Chronicles 18:14 says, “David reigned over all Israel and did what was just and right for all his people.” David is given credit for his obedience a number of times in scripture. God wanted it to be known that David did what was right. This was important to God that people knew this. God says in I Kings 11:34 exactly what David's obedience meant to Him. He says, “For the sake of my servant David, the one whom I chose and who obeyed my commands and decrees, I will keep Solomon as leader for the rest of his life. God blessed later generations because David obeyed the decrees of the Lord.