king David – Be Still…

Psalm 51:10-11 – Cleanse Me

“Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”
(Psalm 51:10-11)

This is a great passage to remember when you want to tell God your heart needs cleansing. In those moments of weakness when we have fallen prey to the wiles of the evil one or simply made a bad choice, we, too, can cry out to God.

Context (Psalm 51): This psalm was written after the prophet Nathan had come to King David and confronted him about his infidelity with Bathsheba. The psalm laments and also praises God. David wants to remove the stain of sin from himself, hoping God will redeem him. David seeks forgiveness and mercy, to be purified and restored. Continue reading “Psalm 51:10-11 – Cleanse Me”

Psalm 28 – From Lament to Praise

Read Psalm 28

One of the things I like about this psalm is how it covers the gamut of emotions from lament to praise. It’s a good reminder for us to always bring praise to God even when we are feeling weak or troubled by life’s circumstances.

David opens the psalm declaring it as a prayer to God, his “rock.” David acknowledges God and wants an audience with him. Isn’t that the same for us when we pray. Don’t we often seek God’s counsel, his help, and even his retribution for those who have wronged us, just like David is? Continue reading “Psalm 28 – From Lament to Praise”

2 Chronicles 8:1-18 – Accomplishments

Read 2 Chronicles 8:1-18

After so much focus on the temple, the Chronicler now shifts to tell us more about Solomon’s accomplishments as king. Whereas King David had been a visionary military king, Solomon was the king of construction!

Solomon’s royal projects seem to have been well organized. His labor force was made up of foreigners while Solomon’s own Israelite people were given more “important” tasks, like protecting the kingdom in the army or supervising the projects.

1 Chronicles 29:21-30 – A Smooth Transition

Read 1 Chronicles 29:21-30

What a smooth and seamless transition of power! David had many sons, so it was fitting that a big deal was made during his succession. It was good to see that honoring God was part of the festivities. We’re given a glimpse into the future, too. Verse 23 says, “So Solomon took the throne of the Lord in place of his father, David, and he succeeded in everything, and all Israel obeyed him.” Solomon’s reign sounds ideal.

It’s key to see that all of Solomon’s brothers, as well as the officials and leaders were on board. But probably the best blessing of all was from God. The text says, “And the LORD exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and he gave Solomon greater royal splendor than any king in Israel before him.” It will be good to see how God works in Solomon’s reign as we continue reading in 2 Chronicles.

1 Chronicles 29:10-20 – Prayer of Praise

Read 1 Chronicles 29:10-20

Everything belongs to God. “Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.” I love how David acknowledges God’s majesty in his prayer of praise. The richness of our own prayer life magnifies when we focus on God’s mighty power.

King David sets a great example for the assembly by praying to the LORD like this. David’s praise of God’s goodness flows right into his gratitude for all that God has done and will continue to do. David speaks of our lives as being here for only a moment. In God’s timing, that is most certainly true. Our lives are but a blip on God’s timeline, and yet he loves us so much.