A Primer for Praise

On that day David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, to thank the Lord:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! 

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; 

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name; 

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

I Chronicles 16:7-10

Upon bringing the ark up to Jerusalem and establishing the worshiping order of priests, David gives them this psalm to sing. I wonder if that means this was the very first psalm in the Hebrew psalter we now know as the book of psalms? If so it would have been a very good place to start because it walks God's people through all the basic methods of worshiping God. It's like a primer for praise. 

First we give thanks. What a simple but effective way to begin worship! Everyone knows how to say thank you, plus by fixing our mind on the blessings God has given us we are naturally led into other forms of praise. 

Next, we're urged to call on God in prayer which we should never forget to do. Then we give Him glory among the nations by telling of all His glorious deeds. Following that we lift our voices in songs and conversations of praise. Finally, we lose ourselves in worship, seeking nothing from God, but only God Himself.

Verse 10 serves as a powerful reminder of how different God is from other gods. Whether we consider the idols worshiped in King David's day or the idols of Hinduism and Buddhism worshiped today, these gods are all pursued as a means to an end. Worshipers pray to them and offer sacrifices to them to get something from them. They seek a good harvest of crops, or a child amid infertility, or more success and prosperity. We seek all of these things from God as well, but they are not the core reason why we seek Him. God is the only god who is good enough and worthy enough to be sought not as a means to something else but as an end in Himself. We come before God in worship to seek Him, not just gifts from His hand. 

So, use this pattern of praise to seek God's face today (v11). He is worth it, and you'll find a joy like no other in His presence.