Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah, and bring him to his people. Let his hands be sufficient for him, and may You be a help against his enemies. (Deuteronomy 33:7)
The tribe of Judah, as we know, is the royal tribe from which the Davidic line would descend. Therefore, in most things associated with government and war, this princely tribe led the other tribes of Israel. During the trek through the wilderness, the camp of Judah led the way. Plainly stated, Judah always goes first. That is why Moses prayed that Judah’s armies would be victorious and that his hands would be sufficient for the tasks he was responsible for. Furthermore, he prayed that God would hearken to their prayers for guidance and protection saying, “Hear, Lord, the voice of Judah.”
There is something else that may be hinted at in that statement considering what the name Judah means — “praise.” The name Judah comes from a root that means to shoot out (a hand) in thanksgiving, thus the notion of giving praise to someone, obviously in this case, the Almighty. When Leah gave birth to her fourth son she said, “Now I will praise the Lord” (Genesis 29:35). From that point on, the tribe of Judah was connected to the act of praise and thanksgiving which is very important considering Judah was always to go first. Many were the times when the tribe of Judah went into battle with the singers and praisers at the head of the column proclaiming, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” (2 Chronicles 20:21).
Most of us are aware of this concept which is why we are accustomed to beginning services with praise and worship. Obviously, God is motivated to act on our behalf when we are committed to offering up praises to the Most High from our hearts. But it is important that we realize this pattern, if I may call it that, is not just for formal services but is something that should be practiced in our everyday life. Let’s not be hesitant to offer Him praise each and every day so that He hears our voice and makes our hands sufficient for the tasks set before us. In this spirit, I’ll close with this:
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. (Psalm 100:4-5)
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments