The Song Of The Lord

When King David fled from Saul he ended up in a cave: “David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him” (1 Samuel 22:1). It was here that the Lord started building the Church of David: “ And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men.”

The first thing they heard was the song of the Lord. The title of Psalm 34 is: “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.” At this point in his life, David did not look like a king—he had just played the part of a madman: “And David…was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard” (1 Samuel 21:12-13). But he had a song:

Psalm 34

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. O fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

This Psalm goes on to say that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth them out of them all. What these men heard changed them. They didn't just hear about God's deliverance, they became the delivered because the Lord’s manifest presence was revealed in this true praise and worship out of the mouth of David. There is no way you can duplicate this life changing presence of Jesus that flows through the song of the Lord: He must truly become alive in you.

Back in my day, one of the most popular bands was the “The Eagles.” Now there were a lot of local bands that copied their songs; some good, some not so good. But no matter how good you might “cover” their songs, you couldn’t compete with the real thing. Were there to be a concert with the “Eagles” playing one venue, and a cover band playing another, who do you think would have the drawing power?

We must have the “real” thing. We can never duplicate his presence and “cover” his songs. We never should settle for less because he has promised to “show himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are totally dependent upon him.” Does the song you and I sing today have the drawing power of the Spirit of God?

Believe his word today. Become the delivered!