The Power of Passionate Praise

“You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound.”

Psalm 4:7

 

Humanity’s words can be employed to either express God’s glory, or expose our guilt. And there is something to be said for the heart that is fully enraptured by, and complimentary of, God’s amazingness. Passionate praise can produce a spirit that is joyous and a voice that longs to privately, and publicly, adore the Lord. Passionate praise refocuses priorities and redirects the steps of one’s life. It generates a hopeful disposition and yields a positive outlook. It brings about a trustful mindset in the will and Word of God. And such was the case with David, a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). Psalm 4, a song attributed to David, is a microcosm of the power of passionate praise.    

David often chose to sing, write, and rejoice about the goodness of God, which is rather remarkable when you consider how many hardships he faced leading up to his crowning as King of Israel. But his soul was unbroken because his confidence in God was unshaken. David’s life was characterized by relentless worship and jubilant activity. He was tested at times, and, as a result, fell mightily at times. But, in the end, David’s great legacy is that he rose above the muck and mire and continually sought to resoundingly speak favorably of His heavenly Lord. David faced giants and came out victorious. He lived as a shepherd and became a ruler. His is a story for the ages. But it is an enduring story mainly because of David’s spiritual attributes, not because of his achievements or accomplishments (achievements and accomplishments consequently that were ushered in through God’s sovereignty, not David’s strength). When we review the sum of David’s life we should marvel at God’s hand of blessing upon it.

In Psalm 4:7 David proclaimed that God is more desirable, more enjoyable, than taking in a fresh and abundant harvest. Take that in for a second. In an agrarian society, there is nothing more essential than reaping in a life-sustaining crop. So, in essence, David decreed that a union with the Lord is more fulfilling than putting food on the table, or money in a private treasury. What he is stating is that only a real, authentic relationship with God can give whole and complete contentment. This knowledge was so fervent in David’s worldview that it moved him to have a yearning to call out to God daily. To see God honored. To see justice prevail. To see God’s followers on bended knee in reverent worship. To declare that serving God is better than taking in a plentiful harvest.

David’s passionate praise was prevalent and prevailing. He placed a high value on knowing God. In fact, he placed so high a value on divine communion that he viewed it as more important, more crucial, than eating, or pursuing income disbursements. In the final analysis, David was a man who understood the benefit of God-centric living. He longed for God’s presence and communication. The evidence of David’s abundant devotion to God was ample and audible. Could the same be said of God’s believers today?