A Template for Biblical Praise & Worship – I Chron. 16
One of the things I most appreciate about studying Bible heroes like Joseph, Abraham, and David is watching them spiritually mature. If you read their stories and pay close attention to how their personalities shine through – for good or bad – you can see how God works on them over time. He does the same thing with all of us who have believed and surrendered. That’s why we read in Phil. 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ..”
Up to this point in the timeline of David’s life, we have seen him mature from the mighty soldier at Saul’s side to a king with a genuine desire to please God. He has already made some grave mistakes; he will make more in the future. But with each one he learns, corrects, and moves on. Every step leads him further along in his spiritual maturity.
In I Chron. 16, we will see what the text refers to as David’s “first psalm to thank the LORD”. It’s a remarkable composition on multiple levels. But what strikes me most about it is it’s maturity in terms of praise & worship. Our 21st century praise and worship demonstrates a level of immaturity that is both sad and alarming. By contrast, David’s first psalm demonstrates a level of maturity we should strive for. The psalm is even a template for what Biblical praise & worship looks like.