Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

INTRODUCTION:

“A Psalm of Solomon”

Solomon was potentially the greatest of all the kings and was one of the most prominent worship leaders of the Bible. He was the favored Son of David that was crowned king in a glorious atmosphere of worship and praise. “Then the trumpets were blown, and all the people shouted, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ And all the people returned with Solomon to Jerusalem, playing flutes and shouting for joy. The celebration was so joyous and noisy that the earth shook with the sound.” (1 Kings 1:39,40) His wis- dom and wealth are unsurpassed in all of human history. “So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king in all the earth.” (1Kings 10:23) The Israelites enjoyed every blessing described in this psalm. “Solomon’s dominion extended over all the kingdoms west of the Euphrates River,…and there was peace throughout the entire land.”(1Kings 4:24) His contributions to the history of worship are imposing: • Solomon was a great song writer. “He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs.”(1 Kings 4:32) Song of Songs is his only remaining composition appearing in the Bible besides his two psalms. (72, 127) Song of Songs is an allegory of God’s divine love for his church represented by the love that Solomon had for a young Shunnamite girl. “This is Solomon’s song of songs, more won- derful than any other.” (Song of Songs 1:1) • Solomon had instruments of music made for the Temple worship. “The king used the almug wood…to construct harps and lyres for the musicians. Never before or since has there been such a supply of beautiful almug wood.”(1 Kings 10:12) • Solomon constructed the great temple of worship in Jerusalem. “So Solomon began to build the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to Solomon’s father, King David. The Temple was built on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite, the site that David had selected.” (2 Chron. 3:1) Just as Solomon the Son of David built the magnificent temple, Jesus the greater Son of David is building his world-wide church to be a people who worship the father in Spirit and truth. • Solomon was a King-Priest who led the worship and prayer of the nation. He led the ceremonies at the temple dedication that were uniquely blessed by the cloud of God’s presence. This was one of the greatest worship services recorded in the Old Testament: “And the Levites who were musi- cians…stood at the east side of the altar playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were joined by 120 priests who were playing trumpets. The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: ‘He is so good! His faithful love endures forever!’ At that moment a cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their work because the glorious presence of the lord filled the temple of God.”(2 Chronicles 5:12-14) The story of Solomon is one of the saddest in the history of the Kings of Israel and Judah. He loved and married many foreign women; something that God had specifically told him not to do. They turned his heart away from worshiping the Lord and he ended his life in spiritual failure. “In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship their gods instead of trusting only in the Lord his God, as his father, David, had done.”(1 Kings 11:4) The lesson is clear to us; we must guard our hearts and not let anyone or anything diminish our love relationship with the Lord.

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HIS REIGN IS JUST - vs. 1-

“Give justice to the king, O God, and righteousness to the king’s son. Help him judge your people in the right way; let the poor always be treated fairly.” (v.1,2)

This was Solomon’s request of God when the Lord approached him in a dream and told him to ask anything he desired. “Give me an understanding mind so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong.”(1 Kings 3:9) Solomon’s wisdom as he judged the people was legendary. There is special consideration given to the poor throughout this psalm. Those who carry re- sponsibility in the kingdom of God should always be concerned about justice for those who cannot rep- resent themselves:

• (v.4) “Help him to defend the poor, to rescue the children of the needy…”

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