I will extol You, O Lord, for You have lifted me up, and have not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me. O Lord, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. (Psalm 30:1-3)
Jewish tradition teaches that this psalm, which is dedicated to the “house of David,” was composed by the king soon after the events described in 2 Samuel 24. For selfish reasons, David had taken a census of the people — a decision that provoked God to anger. As a result, 70,000 men died as a plague swept over the land. When David sought the LORD for repentance, the angel who was then standing by “the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite” (1 Samuel 24:16), was restrained from destroying Jerusalem. It was then that David went to Araunah, purchased his threshing floor, erected an altar to the LORD and “offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel” (1 Samuel 24:25).
This is the event that laid the groundwork for something David had longed to do — build a permanent house for the LORD. That is why, according to Jewish tradition, this psalm was written and why it was sung at the inauguration of the Temple. Of course, David did not build the Temple, Solomon did. Nevertheless, it was David who first pushed for this project. It was David who drew the plans for the House and, though he was not there physically, his presence was no doubt felt when this song was sung by the Levitical choir when the House of the LORD was dedicated.
With that background information, consider these first few words — I will extol You; You have lifted me up; You have not let my enemies triumph over me; You have kept me alive. The point is, in spite of all the ups and downs of his life, when the Temple was dedicated it was as if the LORD once again bestowed favor upon David. Those who had wanted to stamp out his life and his memory were faced with the fact that God allowed David’s influence to continue in one of the most dramatic and enduring ways possible — his family was forever connected to the building of God’s House. In a sense, David’s house was very much alive — not forgotten or abandoned in some pit.
How does this story provide inspiration for us? Consider: there are people in this world who leave their children great material wealth or influence due to their political or societal connections. On the other hand, many people can barely make ends meet much less hold out hope to leave anything to their children. But whether rich or poor, all of us have the potential to leave something of immense value to our heirs when we pass from this life, and that is, a good name and a legacy of faith, hope and commitment to serve the God of Israel.
No one remembers how much money David had when he died; we all remember his great desire to serve the LORD. We’re not the only ones to remember — God remembered as well. And because He remembered the one who had a heart after God, the LORD watched over his descendants and bestowed favor and blessing upon them. So then, let’s contemplate what is there about us that will endure after we have passed? Will it honor the LORD? And will He honor us?
Blessings and Shalom,
Bill
Recent Comments