Learning How To Pray Pt. 33 David Exalts God When Praying

In this post we are going to reach back into the Old Testament historical narrative to study a prayer of King David.

David's great desire was to build a temple for Jehovah, but the LORD would not allow him to do this. Why? Because the king killed so many people in battles. 

However, Jehovah did tell David that his son Solomon could construct a temple for His name at Jerusalem. King David accumulated a vast supply of various materials for Solomon to use building a temple for God.

This is one of the last prayers of King David before Solomon became King of Israel.

Bless Jehovah when we start to pray for He is worthy!

1 Chronicles 29:10  Wherefore David blessed the LORD before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, LORD God of Israel our father, for ever and ever. 

David's prayer began with blessing Jehovah. He exalted the name of Jehovah as he prayed in public for his nation. The King offered the LORD his heartfelt praise and adoration, as he magnified Jehovah for His manifold care of His people.

He addressed His prayer to Jehovah Elohim. This compound name of God refers to the covenant making, promise keeping, unchanging God of eternity. 

He is the One, True Living God who dwells with people that humbles their hearts and has contrite spirits. 

He is the God of Creation who governs all things and exercises His right to rule and reign over all mankind. 

This is the wonderful, All Wise, All Glorious God of heaven to whom King David prayed. 

All who repent of their sins and accept His saving provision by faith in Jesus Christ, are His adopted children and He is our Heavenly Father. 

Our earthly fathers may fail us or disappoint in some ways, but our Father in heaven will never let us down. 

He loves each child of God with an overwhelming, everlasting love. He cares for each one of His children and works all things out for our good. 

Give God all glory and honor when we pray.

1 Chronicles 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 

King David's prayer explodes with rejoicing and adoration for Jehovah, the self existent I Am, who spoke to Moses at the burning bush. 

He is the God who was before all things, is without beginning or end and who created time, space and matter. 

None can compare to the greatness of Jehovah, for His perfection, holiness and righteousness have no rivals. 

Jehovah is omnipotent and His power and might are irresistible. His inexhaustible power governs all creation and guides His plan to save mankind from our sins, through the work of Christ on the cross. 

Jehovah is All Glorious and none can compare to Him. His holiness is beautiful, His majesty cannot be expressed with mere words for words cannot convey a God who is a consuming fire, who is Light and holiness.  

All people who see Him, fall down before His splendor (See Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 1:1-28; Matthew 17:1-9; Acts 9:1-9; revelation 1:9-20). 

Also, notice the similarity of King David's prayer with the Lord's Prayer. Both speak of the Father in heaven. Both speak of His kingdom, His power, His glory and His will being accomplished on earth (Matthew 6:9-13).

Praise God for victory in Jesus Christ when we pray.

1 Corinthians 15:56-58  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57)  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58)  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 

Jehovah is All Victorious. His victory through Jesus Christ moves undeterred through history, speeding toward that day when Christ returns for His Church. 

His victory will culminate with Jesus Christ leading the armies of heaven to destroy all Christ rejecters remaining on the earth, and casting Satan into the lake of fire (See Revelation 20). 

Praise God for all His blessings when we pray. 

1 Chronicles 29:12  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 

David is reviewing and reflecting upon his life. He recognized the goodness of God toward him. God gave David wealth and honor among all Israel. He took a young shepherd boy and led him by faith, and made him a king!

At this point, David is near the end of his life and he did not fear going through the valley of the shadow of death. Why no fear? Because he knew that Jehovah would receive him in heaven as His child. 

He praised God for giving him strength and victory in military campaigns. He praised God for providing abundantly for his needs and for the nation. He praised God for His All Wise, sovereign choices for his life.

1 Chronicles 29:13  Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

David reaches the conclusion of the first part of his prayer. He acknowledged with thankfulness, the grace of God enabling them to contribute so cheerfully towards building the temple for Jehovah.

We must be careful to give God all the glory for any good thing that He enables us to do. We must give God glory for the good that He enables other Christians to do.  

Our own good works must not become a matter of our pride, nor should the good works of others make us boastful. 

However, we can praise God for the good things He helps any believer in Christ to accomplish. It is surely the greatest honour and blessing in the world for a Christian to faithfully serve God.

Thoughts to Ponder...

When we pray let us begin by blessing the LORD for His goodness to us, and praising Him for all spiritual blessings we have in Christ. 

When we pray, let us always give Jehovah all glory and honor for who He is and for all that He does for each Christian.

When we pray, let us always praise the Father for giving us victory through repentant faith in Jesus Christ. 

When we pray, let us always remember to thank our Father in heaven and to praise His glorious name in our thoughts, words and actions. 

Bob