Month: January 2024

1 Chronicles 25:6-7 All these were under the hands of their for song in the house of the Lord, with cymbals, psalteries, and harps, for the service of the house of God, according to the king’s order to Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman. So the number of them, with their brethren that were instructed in the songs of the Lord, even all that were cunning, was two hundred four score and eight (288).

David’s preparations for worship in the new temple were elaborate and detailed. The musicians were divided into 24 groups to match the 24 groups of Levites. This division of labor gave order to the temple work, made training easier, gave variety to worship, and involved many people.

God, and David, takes the worship of God in music and song seriously. It was planned orderly and sung enthusiastically. They likely sang the Psalms, many written by David himself. The worship in song was to be done “decently and in order” and energetically. It was also meant to be going on continuously.

Music and song is our believing response to the hearing of the Gospel. Our Sunday worship and praise in songs and hymns ideally follow after listening to the Word and the preaching of the Gospel. Praise is the natural response to the gospel of grace and salvation. We leave church inspired and full of joy, putting a song in our heart that carries us through every day.

For the believer, praise is a continuous way of life. We are always thankful in heart to God. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God [Colossians 3:16].” When we pause to hear the Gospel every morning our whole day is filled with songs of thankfulness and praise. Sing!

1 Chronicles 23:30-31 And to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord, and likewise at even, And to offer all burnt sacrifices unto the Lord in the sabbaths, in the new moons, and on the set feasts, by number, according to the order commanded unto them, continually before the Lord

David made elaborate and detailed plans for the twice daily worship and sacrifice in the temple that Solomon would build. He made sure that someone would be designated to thank and praise the Lord every morning and every evening during the time of the twice daily sacrifices in the temple.

This charge of David for temple worship is a good example for us to follow. Our response to Jesus being with us continually is to worship Him with thanks and praise twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. To help us, Luther gave us the morning and evening prayer.

in addition, we thank and praise Him and offer offerings weekly on the Sabbath (Sunday), and on other set festival days. However, we do not make animal sacrifices, for Jesus made the one, only, and final sacrifice for all of us for all time. But we do remember, relive, refresh, and renew Jesus’ sacrifice for us by daily remembering our Baptism, by daily and weekly hearing the Gospel, and by weekly partaking of Holy Communion in which faith applies the sacrifice of Christ to our hearts and lives.

These daily and weekly reminders influence us to live lives of continual thanks and praise all the time. Indeed, our response to Grace is to pray without ceasing.

1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the Lord God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the Lord.

God did not allow David to build the Temple because he was a man of war that shed blood. But he got all the plans and preparations in order for its building and its worship. Before he died he charged his son, Solomon, to build the temple in Jerusalem to house the Presence of God on the earth.

Solomon’s response to God was to set his heart and soul to seek the Lord first and always. Then he could build the sanctuary for the Lord. This was a big undertaking and an important project, and he should get his heart right with God before starting. Seeking the Lord involves admitting sin and weakness, receiving forgiveness, and simply trusting the Lord for help and guidance.

Seeking the Lord is our response to the Gospel before beginning the day or starting any regular or special task. “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” The Lord is always on our mind and we live a life of simple trust in God above all things. He will direct us so that He can accomplish His purposes, which are always good for us. “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth [Colossians 3:2].” This everyday mindset ensures that practical day-to-day living works out for good.

1 Chronicles 21:24, 26 And king David said to Ornan, Nay, but I will buy it for the full price; for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost….And David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the Lord; and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.

When the angel of the Lord sheathed his sword and stopped the plague at the threshing floor of Ornan, David wanted to buy that plot of land from Ornan to build an altar. This spot became the site of Solomon’s temple. David intended to use that place to thank God, build an altar, and offer sacrifices.

Ornan was prepared to give the threshing floor to David for free, but David insisted on paying a costly price, for no expense should be spared when it is for the Lord. He has given us super abundant blessings by grace, for free, at the super great expense of giving His Son to suffer and die in our place. What Christ paid for us and our salvation was not cheap or easy. Our free reception of God’s grace gifts at Christ’s expense motivates us to not be cheap in our worship, service, and sacrifice to God.

Our response to Grace is to offer lavish and expensive offerings of thanksgiving to God. We build an altar in our heart and sacrifice our time, talents, and treasure to the Lord by serving others. We die to self and offer the most dear and precious thing we have (the Self) to thank God and serve others. Love costs.

1 Chronicles 21:8 And David said unto God, I have sinned greatly, because I have done this thing: but now I beseech thee, do away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.

David had sinned in his pride in ordering a census to be taken. God provided a way out in the counsel of Joab, but David’s curiosity was spurred on by arrogance. His faith was in his own strength rather than in God’s. Self-sufficiency pulls us away from God and makes us susceptible to Satan’s temptation. God was displeased with this thing and smote Israel.

But David was still a man after God’s heart, and he confessed his great sin. He was forgiven, but his people still suffered the consequences. He was convicted of inner pride, acted arrogantly, and did a foolish thing.

When we are tempted, we examine our inner desires to understand why the external temptation is so appealing. When we examine ourself we find the root sin of pride and arrogance. Thank God, our penitence and faith finds mercy and forgiveness in the Gospel and the Sacraments. “There is forgiveness with You that You may be feared.” We may think that we are not prideful and self-centered, but we are only deceiving ourselves until something happens to draw us totally back to God.