prayer of praise – Be Still…

1 Chronicles 16:11 – What Are You Searching For?

“Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” (1 Chronicles 16:11)

Sometimes, we find ourselves searching for things that don’t matter. We get caught up in get-rich-quick schemes or weight loss fads, with differing levels of success. We can easily fill our days with activities that entertain but don’t do anything to draw us closer to God.

Context (1 Chronicles 16:7-36): Our short memory verse comes from a prayer of praise King David gave to his fellow Levites to worship before the Ark of the Covenant. You may recall the Ark was God’s presence among the people. This prayer is full of many beautiful images of God’s supremacy and instructions for how we should respond. Gratitude is a major theme, and to never forget all that God has done. Continue reading “1 Chronicles 16:11 – What Are You Searching For?”

2 Chronicles 6:12-42 – Solomon’s Prayer

Read 2 Chronicles 6:12-42

Solomon mentioned us in his prayer! Somehow Solomon knew, in all his wisdom, that one day all people of the earth would come to know the one true God. Those that are wise enough to see the truth and sort through all the lies of the world using God’s word as a guide have head start.

In his prayer, Solomon speaks of promises, and justice, and forgiveness. It’s like Solomon was pleading our case before God centuries ago. What a timeless prayer! Solomon shows such honor by giving tribute to God as he does. We can glean so much wisdom from Solomon at this stage in his life.

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.

1 Chronicles 16:1-36 – Song of Praise

Read 1 Chronicles 16:1-36

If you can get past the part about David giving out food to everyone in Israel, the song of praise is just beautiful. I love how the Chronicler captures this for us. I recognize lyrics from praise songs we sing today. Did you notice any of those, too?

David may have given this song of praise for the special occasion of successfully bringing the Ark to Jerusalem. When we can keep praise on our lips as a regular part of our day, our day can only shine brighter. Such a good reason for worshiping our God!