David, The Worshipper (Part 1)

We are living in a time when the Body of Christ is rediscovering intimacy with God through passionate worship. This wave of worship is sweeping across the globe and is turning ordinary people into radical lovers of Jesus Christ and warriors who are doing extra-ordinary exploits for God's Kingdom.

We need to yield ourselves to worship of the King.

Lets begin to worship on earth, as it is in heaven!

God is looking for worshippers who will worship in Spirit and truth (John 4:23,24).

Worship of God is nothing new. It is in the Bible right from the book of Genesis.

Perhaps one of the "greatest" worshippers in the Bible was David.

David was the sweet psalmist of Israel.

2 Samuel 23:1  Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

Seventy-four of the 150 psalms in the Bible bear David’s name. Thirty-four psalms are
not attributed to any author at all, and hence we could have more of David's psalms. Over half of all the recorded Psalms were written by David! Many of these psalms were used in the tabernacle and later in Solomon's temple in worship of God.

The psalm used in the inaugral worship of the Tabernacle of David was written by David and handed to the worship team (Psalm 105)

1 Chronicles 16:7  On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the LORD:

So in addition to being a king, David wrote worship songs for use in the Tabernacle (later Temple).

David, after becoming king, built and established, what is known as the Tabernacle of David. The Tabernacle of David refers to the tent that King David set up on Mt. Zion when He returned the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (1Chr. 15:1). Within this tent, a new order of worship was instituted which was unlike anything that preceded it. From the tribe of Levi, and the priests David appointed 4000 musicians and 288 singers who ministered day and night to the Lord. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year they ministered, and this continued for 33 years. (1Chr. 16:37, 23:5, 25:6-7; 2Sam 5:5). Many of the Psalms were originally written and sung as prophetic songs of worship in David’s tabernacle. (We'll talk more about this next Sunday).

There were many great worshippers before and after David : Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, etc. But out of all of these, God pointed out the Tabernacle of David and said that He would bring this - this kind of worship - back. Amos 9:11-13

God called David a man after His own heart (1 Samuel  13:14, Acts 13:22). Perhaps it was David's heart as a worshipper that attracted God to him.

David was a king, a warrior, a builder and was overseeing a large kingdom and an army. And he was still a great worshipper. We have no excuse! You can be a business-man, a politician, an athlete and still be an extravagant worshipper of God!

Over these two Sundays, we will examine the life of David to see what we can learn and imbibe into our lives as we grow as worshippers of our God.

We will look at 3 aspects of David The Worshipper:
1, The Heart of a worshipper
2, The lifestyle of a worshipper
3, The service (ministry) of a worshipper

We will look at the psalms David wrote and try to discover his heart.

THE HEART OF A WORSHIPPER
1, His recognition of God's greatness
2, His hunger for God
3, His pursuit of holiness
4, His undivided devotion in good times and bad

These are not the only characteristics of the heart of a worshipper - but these are some important characteristics that are seen in David's psalms.

1, His recognition of God's greatness

Psalm 8

Psalm 9:2  I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

Psalm 19:1-3

Psalm 22:28  For the kingdom is the LORD's, And He rules over the nations.

Psalm 24:
1 The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.
8  Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle.
9  Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in.
10  Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory

[Other Psalms : Psalm 139 ]

Key Point: True worship is an overflow of a heart that is in awe of God.

If we are not in awe of God - it is because the mundane, temporal things of this world have dimmed our eyes from seeing the greatness of the infinite, eternal and indescribable One!

2, His hunger for God

Psalm 26:8  LORD, I have loved the habitation of Your house, And the place where Your glory dwells.

Psalm 27:4  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
Psalm 27:8  When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek."

Psalm 63:
1 O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.
2  So I have looked for You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
8  My soul follows close behind You;....

Key Point: True worship is an expression of our huger for God - intimacy with Him and a desire for His presence.

3, His pursuit of holiness

Psalm 5:7  But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.

Psalm 11:4  The LORD is in His holy temple, The LORD's throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men.

Psalm 15

Psalm 17:3  You have tested my heart; You have visited me in the night; You have tried me and have found nothing; I have purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.
Psa 17:4  Concerning the works of men, By the word of Your lips, I have kept away from the paths of the destroyer.

Psalm 19:12-14

Psalm 24:3  Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who may stand in His holy place?
Psalm 24:4  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully.
Psalm 24:5  He shall receive blessing from the LORD, And righteousness from the God of his salvation.

Psalm 26

Psalm 29:1  Give unto the LORD, O you mighty ones, Give unto the LORD glory and strength.
Psalm 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

[Other Psalms : Psalm 101]

The altar of incense  Exodus 30:34-38
The incense represents our worship and prayer.
The incense was most holy. It was not to be offered to any other.

Key Point: True worship cannot take place outside of holiness

4, His undivided devotion in good times and bad

Psalm 22
20  Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog.
21  Save Me from the lion's mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me.
22  I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
23  You who fear the LORD, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!

Psalm 30
6  Now in my prosperity I said, "I shall never be moved."
11  You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,
12  To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.

Psalm 34
1 I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2  My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3  Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.
4  I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 40
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry.
2  He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, Out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, And established my steps.
3  He has put a new song in my mouth— Praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, And will trust in the LORD.

[Other Psalms : Psalm 61, Psalm 62]

Key Point: A worshipper does not decrease His worship of God according to the seasons of life, because the God He worships is unchangeable.

Can we develop the heart of a worshipper?
1, A heart that is in awe of God , of God's greatness
2, A heart that is hungry for God - for His presence
3, A heart that is pursuing holiness
4, A heart that demonstrates undivided devotion in good times and bad

Lets begin to worship on earth, as it is in heaven!