Word of Encouragement (10/09/2024)
Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. (1 Chron. 16:23-27)
David declares, “Splendor and majesty are before him...” (v. 27). He is speaking of the supreme magnificence of God’s glory. We don’t know whether God showed him a vision of Himself as He did to Isaiah, Ezekiel, John, etc. But we can have a sense of God’s resplendent glory without having a visual experience under the influence of the Holy Spirit. This could have been David’s experience of God’s glory.
The Holy Spirit enables us to see God’s glory in His creation. All creation bears the fingerprint of God, its Maker, and displays His power, wisdom, and beauty. So, David sang, “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth...” (Ps. 8:1); “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Ps. 19:1). We can sing with him, “God, all nature sings thy glory, / and thy works proclaim thy might...!” When we meditate on the vastness of the universe, the splendor of the heavenly bodies, and the delicacy of earthly creatures, we can imagine the Maker’s splendor and majesty.
The Holy Spirit can also open our eyes to see God’s glory in His providence. Sometimes we get goosebumps when we realize how wonderfully God answers our prayers or resolves our problems. Sitting on his throne, David must have felt amazed and humbled by what God had done for him. He was just a shepherd boy, the youngest of eight brothers. Out of the blue, Samuel the prophet came to his house and anointed him as Israel’s next king. But when Samuel asked Jesse to bring out all his sons, Jesse did not even bother to mention David, who was shepherding the flock in the field!
This calling started a period of tumult and danger for David because Saul was still king of Israel. But God preserved him through all dangers, toils, and snares, always keeping him beyond the reach of Saul’s murderous hands, even if only by an inch. There were times when he had to seek refuge among the Philistines, the mortal enemies of Israel. But God was there to protect him, too. And a couple of times, the LORD turned the table and placed Saul at the mercy of David. When David saw God’s wisdom and power, he became aware of God’s splendor and majesty.
Can you take some time to meditate on God’s glory manifested in creation and providence? As you do so, think of the glory of His grace, who made Himself poor and weak to bear our punishment and save us from sin and death unto eternal life and glory.