Paul W. Manuel: The power of praise

THE POWER OF PRAISE
2 Chronicles 5:1-14; 20:1-24
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Dr. Paul Manuel—2013

One of life's challenges is knowing when to speak your mind and when to hold your tongue; especially in marriage, and especially early in that relationship.

Late one night, the wife of a newly married couple thought she heard a noise downstairs. Nudging her husband, she whispered, "Wake up, wake up!" "What's the matter?" he asked. "There are burglars in the kitchen. I think they're eating the tuna casserole I made tonight." As her husband rolled over, she heard him mutter... "That'll teach 'em!"

In marriage, it is usually best for a husband to praise his wife; otherwise he should probably hold his tongue, especially early in their relationship. In worship, it is always best to praise the Lord, including early in the relationship, as the Israelites do during the reign of King Solomon, when they also learn The Power of Praise.

The writer of Hebrews understands the importance of praise and exhorts his audience, saying...

Heb 13:15 ...let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise....

Why should we do that? ...The NT author does not give a reason, probably because it is obvious to his readers. They are familiar with the reason the author of
Ps 33 gives, that...¹

Ps 33:1b it is fitting [or warranted] for the upright to praise him.

This is the primary reason, of course. We praise God because He deserves our praise, in part, because He does wonderful things for us.²

He delivers us from evil.
He forgives us our sin.
He heals us of disease.
He provides us with food.

These and other divine blessings give us countless reasons to praise our God,³ but praise is usually after the fact. That is, we are usually extolling God's goodness to us in response to what He has done for us. Is there such a thing as praise before the fact, (proleptic) praise that anticipates or invokes God's response. In other words, does our general praise of God ever bring a response from God? If so, then we may actually be missing a blessing by waiting for Him to act before we express our appreciation.

Two events from the book of 2 Chronicles suggest that praise may, indeed, invoke a response from God that is indicative of the special relationship He has with His people. The first instance, which we will look at this morning, comes from the reign of King Solomon after he completed construction of the temple (fall of 959).⁴ As the center for Israelite worship, the temple is an appropriate location to praise God, and celebrating completion of that structure is an appropriate occasion to praise God. What the people did not expect is the divine reaction as...

I. Praise Invokes the Presence of God (2 Chr 5:1-14).

2 Chr 5:1 When all the work Solomon had done for the temple of the LORD was finished, he brought in the things his father David had dedicated—the silver and gold and all the furnishings—and he placed them in the treasuries of God's temple.... 7 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.... 11 The priests then withdrew from the Holy Place. All the priests who were there had consecrated themselves, regardless of their divisions.

Soon after Israel left Egypt, God issued the command to build a sanctuary and indicated that He would choose a permanent location for that structure when the people entered Canaan.⁵ The place He designated was Jerusalem.⁶ It did not happen immediately. Quite the contrary, it took four hundred years for the Israelites to eliminate various threats to their existence before they could turn their attention to this project. Here at last, under King Solomon...

A. The people execute the command of God (v. 1).⁷

It is a massive undertaking, one for which the previous administration under King David had prepared by collecting funds and furnishings. When the day of completion finally arrives, only one more task remains: to place the Ark of the Covenant, the throne of God's glory,⁸ in its new home.⁹ With the the physical manifestation of God, perhaps hovering over the seat of the ark, the priests move it carefully into place.¹⁰ That done, they gather outside for the formal dedication service. The author states that "all the priests" were there, not merely those officially on duty, and that they all "had consecrated themselves" with the required ablutions in preparation for ministry on this momentous occasion.¹¹

Reading on, we see that the priests were not the only ones present.

2 Chr 5:12 All the Levites who were musicians—Asaph, Heman, Jeduthun and their sons and relatives—stood on the east side of the altar, dressed in fine linen and playing cymbals, harps and lyres. They were accompanied by 120 priests sounding trumpets. 13a-b The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever."

In addition to "all the priests" being present, "[a]ll the Levites who were musicians" were also here for the dedication. Precisely how many these two groups constituted is uncertain. It was a sizable number, in any case, one that had a single purpose ("in unison...one voice"): "to give praise... to the LORD." The text of their song is a common theme in biblical worship throughout the history of God's
people:¹² "He is good; his love endures forever."

It is what the choir sang at the arrival of the ark to Jerusalem.
It is what the congregation sang at the dedication of this, the first temple.
It is what the choir sang at the dedication of the second temple.
It is what the congregation will sing at the dedication of the third temple in the Messianic Age.

Here, on this occasion again...

B. The people extol the character of God (v. 13).

..."He is good; his love endures forever."

These verses in 2 Chr 5 offer an informative view of temple worship, which is the model for synagogue worship, which, in turn, is the model for church worship. It is evident that music plays a central role. Although other passages refer to congregational singing, here the biblical author describes—take note, choir members—the part of trained musicians, both instrumentalists and vocalists. He also describes the kind of music they perform. It is not just any song, and it is not just a religious song. The music of worship possesses two essential characteristics, as v. 13 makes clear:

It is "to the LORD," something the author states twice in this verse, and
It is about the LORD, in praise of His attributes and actions.

Accompanying their work for (obedience to) God, by building the temple, is the people's worship of (obeisance to) God, by using the temple.

We do not often think about work and worship together, but they are natural complements and describe what should be for you a regular pattern.

Your work for God this week, as you experienced His goodness, should inspire your worship of God this Sabbath, as you extol His goodness. Likewise, your worship of God this Sabbath should invigorate your work for God next week.
When you break the cycle by skipping a week of God-oriented work or a weekend of God-oriented worship, you lose spiritual continuity. You focus...

More on your agenda than on God's agenda,

More on what you can accomplish than on what He can accomplish through you,

More on what you want than on what God wants for you.

That should not be. As the apostle Paul says...¹³

1 Cor 10:31b ...whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

At this point in Chronicles, the next part of the dedication ceremony is a public address by the king. Preempting that address, however, is another event, one that, despite its brief mention, is both unexpected and unnerving.¹⁴ Look at...

2 Chr 5:13c Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, 14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.

What is "the glory of the LORD?" The descriptions in scripture, while not as detailed as we might like, do tell us some things about it.¹⁵ From its arrival during Israel's exodus out of Egypt, to its departure during the Babylonian siege on Jerusalem, it has been unique to God's people, marking His presence with them and His preference for them.¹⁶ No other people has had the privilege of hosting this divine manifestation.

The biblical writers tell us seven things about it.

(1) It is visible, and several passages say that the Israelites saw the glory of the LORD or that it appeared to them.¹⁷
(2) It appears generally in public not in private (its appearance to Moses and Ezekiel being the exceptions), although God's people seem to be the only ones who actually see it.¹⁸
(3) It looks like a cloud or like a fire surrounded by a cloud.¹⁹
(4) It has volume and can increase in size, as when it covers the top of Mount Sinai or fills the sanctuary.²⁰
(5) It is sometimes stationary, but it can also move freely from place to place.²¹
(6) It is a distinct, divine phenomenon, different from an angel, different from the Holy Spirit, and different from the Son of God.²²
(7) It is a covering for God the Father, who may observe or speak from within it.²³

God does not speak from the cloud here, but the meaning of this filling of the temple with His presence is quite clear.

Four hundred years earlier, upon completion of the tabernacle, a similar event occurred. Moses records it with almost identical wording in...

Exod 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

Moses offers no explanation for this phenomenon, but it certainly indicated God's approval of the first structure, the portable sanctuary the Israelites built for Him. Upon completion of the second structure, the permanent sanctuary, God indicates His approval of this house in similar fashion (so also Myers 1965:29).²⁴ By filling the temple with His presence, and...

C. The people experience the confirmation of God (v. 14).²⁵

...that He is pleased with their obedience.

From the evidence in the biblical record, it is unlikely that any of us will witness this kind of divine manifestation. Nevertheless, God still values your obedience and will respond to your praise. It may not be with this dynamic display, but He is able to demonstrate His presence in other ways. What is important is that as you obey Him you also praise Him, for "[H]is love endures forever" (v. 13).

You will probably have an opportunity this week to do something for God, to put your devotion to work. It may be big or small, performing an act of kindness, testifying about your commitment to Him, determining to pray regularly for someone in need. Whatever the opportunity is, I encourage you to complement your obedience with praise. You may just be surprised how God responds.

This incident, when God's people celebrated the temple's completion, is one illustration of The Power of Praise and how their decision to praise the LORD elicited a positive and powerful divine response. It also describes the content of praise, which extols the character of God, that "[H]is love endures forever." If you believe that, then you can use the same assertion when you praise Him. He will probably not reply as He did here, but as you obey Him, He will surely be pleased with your praise and will respond in a positive way.

Part 2

One of life's challenges is knowing when to speak your mind and when to hold your tongue; especially in marriage, and even later in the relationship.

One night at the dinner table, the wife commented, "When we were first married, you would take the smaller piece of steak and give me the larger. Now you take the larger one and leave me the smaller. You don't love me any more?" "Nonsense, my dear," her husband replied ... "you just cook better now."

In marriage, it is usually best for the husband to praise his wife; otherwise he should probably hold his tongue, and that remains true even later in their relationship. In worship, it is always best to praise the Lord, including later in the relationship, as the Israelites do during the reign of King Jehoshaphat, when they again learn The Power of Praise.

Last time, we examined 2 Chronicles 5, which records the dedication of the temple. Years earlier, King David secured the site, assembled the building materials, and organized the Levitical choir, but it was his son Solomon who built a permanent structure. The final step was to move the ark of the covenant into the sanctuary, and that event was cause for great rejoicing. What people did not expect was the divine reaction their praise invoked, "for the glory of the LORD filled the temple" (v. 14).

This is not the only event in 2 Chronicles suggesting that praise may invoke a positive and powerful response from God. There is a second instance, a hundred years later (853), during the reign of King Jehoshaphat, after he received news that enemy troops from Moab, Ammon, and Seir were amassing on Judah's south-eastern border (by the Dead Sea) and were about to march inland toward Jerusalem.²⁶ This was definitely not good news, and praising God is the last thing one would expect the people to do. What they discover, though, is that just as praise invoked the presence of God, so...

II. Praise Invokes the Protection of God (2 Chr 20:1-24).

Please turn to 2 Chr 20, where the king declares a national day of prayer.²⁷

2 Chr 20:3 Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. 4 The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. 5 Then Jehoshaphat stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the LORD in the front of the new courtyard 6 and said: "O LORD, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one can withstand you. 7 O our God, did you not drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend? 8 They have lived in it and have built in it a sanctuary for your Name, saying, 9 'If calamity comes upon us, whether the sword of judgment, or plague or famine, we will stand in your presence before this temple that bears your Name and will cry out to you in our distress, and you will hear us and save us.' 10 "But now here are men from Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, whose territory you would not allow Israel to invade when they came from Egypt; so they turned away from them and did not destroy them. 11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession you gave us as an inheritance. 12 O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you." 13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

The authors of Kings and Chronicles describe Jehoshaphat as a good king,²⁸ and here we see one reason why that is so—because when the going gets tough, the godly, following the king's lead, turn to the Lord. Unlike Jehoshaphat's predecessor, his father Asa, who depended on Syria's might to defeat Judah's enemy (Israel),²⁹ and unlike Jehoshaphat's successor, his son Jehoram, who depended on his own might to defeat Judah's enemy (Edom), with neither effort resolving the problem,³⁰ Jehoshaphat depends on God's might to defeat Judah's enemy.³¹ As "all [of] Judah" assembles to fast and pray...

A. The people entreat the care of God (v. 12).

While it is not unusual for religious leaders to pray in public, it is something else for political leaders to pray in public, and Jehoshaphat's prayer is a model of petitioning God in distress. We tend to get right to the point: "God, please do this or that." Biblical prayers are usually more reflective, identifying the parties involved and their connection before getting to the actual petition. Notice how much the king says in this seven-verse prayer before he gets to what we would regard as the most pressing issue.³²

In v. 6, the king speaks about God's long-standing relationship with this people: He is the "God of our fathers," and later, "our God" (vv. 7, 12).
In v. 6, the king extols God's sovereignty and omnipotence: "no one can withstand you."
In v. 7, the king recalls God's mighty acts on His people's behalf in the past, giving them the land of Canaan.
In v. 8, the king reviews the people's obedience to God's command in building the sanctuary.
In v. 9, the king remembers God's promise at the dedication of the temple to hear the cry of His people when in distress.³³
Finally, in v. 10, the king describes the threat God's people now face—the impending assault of treacherous men—and, in v. 11, the ultimate threat this poses to God's plan—loss of the land He gave to His people.
Then, in v. 12, the king confesses the impotence of God's people to defeat this foe but the confidence they have in God's power.

Point by point, Jehoshaphat builds his case for why the Lord should help them. As the king prayed, "[a]ll...of Judah...stood there before the LORD." (v. 13).

The question on everyone's mind is, "Will God respond?" We do not know how long they waited, but in...

2 Chr 20:14 . . .the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel...a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. 15 He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid [and do not be] discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's.... 17 You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid [and] do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you." 18 Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.... 21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

It is interesting that God does not say, "Relax. I'll take care of this little problem for you. You can stay home and watch the game." Instead, He says, "Be ready to fight, but you won't have to fight. The battle line you take tomorrow will be a front row seat to witness your enemy's defeat." That will be difficult to do. Jehoshaphat obviously considers himself and his army outmatched by the combined forces of Moab and Ammon. (Choir members: Would you have volunteered to be part of the group marching and singing in front of the army?) For the king to place himself and his people in harm's way is not a tactically prudent move. The enemy will certainly interpret it as an indication that Judah is ready to fight. Surely, it would be safer to sue for peace or simply to flee. God assures them, though, that He is in control, saying twice, "Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged (vv. 15, 16). In response...

B. The people extol the character of God (v. 21).

...repeating that familiar refrain: "[H]is love endures forever."

To us, Jahaziel's exhortation may just seem like a few comforting words. To the people in Jerusalem, those words recall other occasions and other foes.[35]

When the Israelites were about to enter the promised land but faced resistance from the Amorites, Moses said,

Deut 1:21b Go up and take possession of it as the LORD, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid [and] do not be discouraged.

Unfortunately, the people did not listen and wandered in the wilderness for forty years.

When the Israelites were about to enter the promised land a second time but faced resistance from the Amorites again, Moses said,

Deut 31:8 The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you.... Do not be afraid [and] do not be discouraged.

That time they listened and received the land God had promised them.

When the Israelites had to attack Ai after being soundly defeated by the forces of that city the day before, God said to Joshua,

Josh 8:1 ..."Do not be afraid [and] do not be discouraged.... For I have delivered into your hands the king of Ai, his people, his city and his land.

The next day, the city fell to the Israelite army.³⁶

The people in the temple courtyard with King Jehoshaphat have heard these words before. They remember God's faithfulness, are willing to trust Him again, and express their confidence by praising Him even before the promised victory.³⁷

Whatever God did for Israel in the past, this is the present, and each generation must both proclaim its faith and prove its faith. The next day, that is precisely what the people do, and the result is both amazing and affirming. Notice that they begin their march as they concluded their meeting the day before.

2 Chr 20:22 As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. 23 The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. 24 When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

This is a pretty gruesome picture. It is also not a unique one. On at least two previous occasions, God used a similar tactic against Israel's enemies.³⁸

When Gideon faced Midianite invaders...

Judg 7:22a . . . the LORD caused the men throughout the [enemy] camp to turn on each other with their swords.

When Saul faced Philistine invaders...

1 Sam 14:20b ...[he] found the Philistines in total confusion, striking each other with their swords.

In 2 Chr, the Lord does the same thing against the invaders from Ammon, Moab, and Seir, so "they helped to destroy one another." The Judeans do not have to lift a hand against the enemy. Looking out over the carnage...

C. The people experience the competence of God (v. 22)

...as He fulfills His prophetic word.

It is unlikely that anyone here will witness this kind of divine intervention. Nevertheless, God still values your confidence and will respond to your call for help. It may not be with this dynamic display, but He is able to demonstrate His deliverance in other ways. What is important is that as you trust Him you also praise Him, for "His love endures forever" (v. 21).

You will probably have an opportunity this week to demonstrate your faith, to step into the realm of uncertainty and learn what God can do. It may be big or small, trusting Him to meet a need, to answer a prayer, or to give you courage. This may also entail some uncertainty on your part: "Will God really come through, or will He let me down?" Even if that question nags at you, do not let it keep you from stepping out in faith. Whatever the opportunity is, I encourage you to complement your faith with praise. You may be pleasantly surprised how God responds. "Do not be afraid and do not be discouraged.... Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."

This incident, when God's people faced an enemy's invasion, is another illustration of The Power of Praise and of how their decision to praise the LORD elicited a positive and powerful divine response. Like the first illustration, it also describes the content of praise, which extols the character of God, that "[H]is love endures forever." If you believe that, then you can use the same assertion when you praise Him. He will probably not reply as He did here, but as you trust Him, He will surely be pleased with your praise and will respond in a positive way.

Bibliography

Myers, Jacob M., 1965, II Chronicles. AB. Garden City: Doubleday & Company.
Payne, J. Barton, 1988, "1, 2 Chronicles." Expositor's Bible Commentary. Vol. 4. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.

Endnotes

[1] Other psalmists cite other incentives.

Ps 84:4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

Ps 147:1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

[2] Numerous passages attest these benefits, especially the first.

Delivers

Ps7:1 O LORD my God, I take refuge in you; save and deliver me from all who pursue me.... 17b [I] will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Ps 9:2b I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. 3 My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.... 11a Sing praises to the LORD.... 12 For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.... 13b Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death, 14a that I may declare your praises....

Ps 18:48c from violent men you rescued me. 49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O LORD; I will sing praises to your name.

Ps 21:11 Though they...devise wicked schemes, they cannot succeed; 12 for you will make them turn their backs when you aim at them with drawn bow.... 13b we will sing and praise your might.

Ps 22:21 Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. 22b in the congregation I will praise you.... 24 For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one... but has listened to his cry for help. 25a From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly....

Ps 34: lb his praise will always be on my lips.... 6b he saved him out of all his troubles.

Ps 35:17 O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages....18b among throngs of people I will praise you....28 My tongue will speak...of your praises all day long.

Ps 40:2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Ps 42:5c Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him.... 9b I say to God... "Why must I go about.. .oppressed by the enemy?" ...11c Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him....

Ps 43:1b rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.... 4 Then...I will praise you.... 5b ...I will yet praise him....

Ps 59:16b you are my fortress...in times of trouble. 17 ...I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress....

Ps 61:6a Increase the days of the king's life.... 7b appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him. 8 Then will I ever sing praise to your name....

Ps 66:2b make his praise glorious! ...4b they sing praise to you, they sing praise to your name." ...8 Praise our God, O peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; 9 he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping.

Ps 69:29 I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me. 30 I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.

Ps 71:4 Deliver me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of evil and cruel men.... 6b I will ever praise you.... 8a My mouth [will be] filled with your praise.... 14b I will praise you more and more.... 22 I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. 23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you—I, whom you have redeemed.

Ps 74:21b ...may the poor and needy praise your name.

Ps 75:7a But it is God who judges.... 9b I will sing praise to the God of Jacob.

Ps 76: 10a Surely your wrath against men brings you praise....

Ps 79:12 Pay back into the laps of our neighbors seven times the reproach they have hurled at you, O Lord. 13 Then we...will praise you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Ps 92:1a It is good to praise the LORD.... 11 My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.

Ps 102:18 Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD: 19 "The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high... 20 to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death." 21 So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem

Ps 106:11 The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived. 12 Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.... 47 Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may... glory in your praise. 48 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel.... Praise the LORD.

Ps 109:29 My accusers will be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak. 30b ...in the great throng I will praise him.

Ps 113:1 Praise the LORD. Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. 2 Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore. 3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the LORD is to be praised.... 7 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap.... 9 He settles the barren woman in her home as a happy mother of children. Praise the LORD.

Ps 116:16b you have freed me from my chains.... 19b Praise the LORD.

Ps 138:1 I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; before the "gods" I will sing your praise.... 3 When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 19b he hears their cry and saves them.

Ps 146:2a I will praise the LORD all my life.... 7b The LORD sets prisoners free,

Ps 149:1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints. 3a Let them praise his name with dancing.... 4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.... 9c . Praise the LORD.

Forgives

Ps 51:14a Save me from bloodguilt, O God.... 15b ...and my mouth will declare your praise.

Ps 65: la Praise awaits you, O God, in Zion.... 3 When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.

Heals

Ps 30:2 ...1 called to you for help and you healed me.... 4b praise his holy name.

Supplies

Ps 22:26 The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him—may your hearts live forever!

Ps 63:5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. 16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Rules

Ps 47:7 For God is the King of all the earth; sing to him a psalm of praise.

Ps 148: la Praise the LORD.... 14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.

[3] Other reasons to praise God are for His actions and His attributes:

Worthy

Ps 48:1a Great is the LORD, and most worthy of praise....

Ps 96:4 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise....

Goodness, love, and faithfulness

Ps 57:9a I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations.... 10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Ps 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Ps 101:1 I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.

Ps 106:1 Praise the LORD....for he is good his love endures forever.

Ps 108:3a I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations.... 4 For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Ps 117:2 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.

Ps 135:3a Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good....

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

Ps 146:2a I will praise the LORD all my life.... 8c the LORD loves the righteous.

Ps 150:2b ...praise him for his surpassing greatness.

Holy

Ps 99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name - he is holy.

Deeds

Ps 68:4a Sing to God, sing praise to his name.... 5 A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. 6a God sets the lonely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing.... 32b sing praise to the Lord.

Ps 105:2 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts....

Ps 107:31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. 32 Let them...praise him in the council of the elders.

Ps 111:1a Praise the LORD....2a Great are the works of the LORD....

Ps 150:2a Praise him for his acts of power....

Commands

Ps 112:1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.

Ps 119:164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.... 171 May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. 175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.

Enjoyable

Ps 135:3b ...sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant....

Ps 147:1b How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

Near

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 18a The LORD is near to all who call on him....

Hears

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

Sustains

Ps 145:3a Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise.... 14 The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down....

Ps 146:2a I will praise the LORD all my life.... 7a He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry.... 8b the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down....

[4] The parallel account is similar but not as detailed.

1 Kgs 8:1 Then King Solomon summoned into his presence at Jerusalem the elders of Israel, all the heads of the tribes and the chiefs of the Israelite families, to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant from Zion, the City of David.... 6 The priests then brought the ark of the LORD's covenant to its place in the inner sanctuary of the temple, the Most Holy Place, and put it beneath the wings of the cherubim.... 10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

[5] The relevant passages include:

Exod 25:8 "Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them."

Deut 12:5 But you are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put his Name there for his dwelling. To that place you must go.... 11 Then to the place the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his Name—there you are to bring everything I command you: your burnt offerings and sacrifices, your tithes and special gifts, and all the choice possessions you have vowed to the LORD.... 13 Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings anywhere you please. 14 Offer them only at the place the LORD will choose in one of your tribes, and there observe everything I command you.

[6] He confirms His choice at the dedication.

2 Chr 7:12b I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.... 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.

[7] Moses states that obedience is a prerequisite to the appearance of the divine glory.

Lev 9:6 Then Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you."

[8] This is His earthly seat.

Exod 25:22 ...between the two cherubim that are over the ark...1 will meet with you....

1 Sam 4:4a ...they brought...the ark of the covenant of the LORD...who is enthroned between the cherubim.

2 Sam 6:2b ...the LORD Almighty...is enthroned between the cherubim that are on the ark.

2 Kgs 19:15 ...Hezekiah prayed...:"O LORD, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim... ."

1 Chr 13:6 David...went...to bring...the ark of God the LORD, who is enthroned between the cherubim....

Ps9:11a Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion....

Ps 80:1b ...you who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth

Ps 99:lb ...he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.

Ps 132:14 This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it

Isa 37:16a O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim....

[9] Prior to this, the ark rested in the tent David had erected for it.

1 Chr 16: la They brought the ark of God and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it....

[10] lt seems that God did not always manifest His presence over the ark. For example, when the Philistines captured the ark, the biblical author makes no mention of their seeing the divine glory. Moreover, some residents of Beth Shemesh, undeterred by any visible entity, open the ark, perhaps thinking that God is inside.

1 Sam 6:19a But God struck down some of the men of Beth Shemesh, putting seventy of them to death because they had looked into the ark of the LORD.

[11] This was a standard procedure.

Exod 30:20 Whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water so that they will not die. Also, when they approach the altar to minister by presenting an offering made to the LORD by fire, 21 they shall wash their hands and feet so that they will not die. This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants for the generations to come."

Cf. Isa 52:1 ic ....be pure, you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

m Yoma 3:3 A person does not enter the courtyard for the service, even if he is clean, unless he immerses.

m Yoma 4:5 Every day the high priest sanctifies his hands and feet from the layer.

[12] The occasions are:

The ark's arrival

1 Chr 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 1= Ps 106:1b]

The first temple

2 Chr 7:3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever."

The second temple

Ezra 3:11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the LORD: "He is good his love to Israel endures forever." And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

The third temple

Jer 33:11 the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD.

It is also a repeated refrain in the hymnal of Israel.

Ps 100:5a For the LORD is good and his love endures forever....

Ps 107:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Ps 118:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. [= v. 29]

Ps 136:1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.

[13] Both Paul and Peter issues this admonition.

Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

1 Pet 4:11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

The author of Hebrews addresses specifically the aspect of corporate worship.

Heb 10:25a not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some....

[14] The author of Kings confirms this surprising development.

1 Kgs 8:10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the LORD. 11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

[15] Payne exhibits the common wishful thinking of those who find the messiah in non-messianic passages: The shekinah "is associated with the angel of God...presumably the preincarnate presence of Christ" (1988:460).

[16] Nevertheless, the appearance of the divine glory is not always a good thing and may, in fact, be a prelude to divine judgment.

Exod 16:7 and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your grumbling against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?"

Num 114:10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.

Num 16:19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire assembly.

Num 16:42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.

[17] Several passages say that the Israelites saw the glory of the LORD or that it appeared to them.

Lev 9:6 Then Moses said, "This is what the LORD has commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you."

Num 20:6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them.

Isa 35:2c they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Ezek 8:4 And there before me was the glory of the God of Israel, as in the vision I had seen in the plain.

[18] God's people, however, may be the only ones who actually see it.

Exod 33:10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent.

Lev 9:23 Moses and Aaron then went into the Tent of Meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people.

Num 14:10b Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites.

Num 16:19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire assembly.

2 Chr 7:3 When all the Israelites saw...the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good; his love endures forever."

While the divine glory was active during the exodus, the pursuing Egyptian army may have seen only darkness, as was the case during the plague of darkness.

Exod 14:19b The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, 20 coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

Exod 10:23 No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

Despite the fact that God's presence was a uniquely Israelite phenomenon, even in the NT, eventually He will reveal it to all the redeemed.

Rom 9:4 the people of Israel. Theirs is...the divine glory....

Cf. Rom 5:2b And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Isa 40:5a And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it.

In the New Jerusalem, however, God's glory will again be a phenomenon uniquely apparent to God's people.

Rev 21:11 It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Rev 21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

[19] The difference is often the time of its appearance, whether day or night.

Exod 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.

Exod 13:22 Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Exod 14:24 During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.

Exod 16:10 While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory of the LORD appearing in the cloud.

Exod 24:17 To the Israelites the glory of the LORD looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.

Neh 9:12 By day you led them with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire to give them light on the way they were to take.

Neh 9:19b By day the pillar of cloud did not cease to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take.

Ezek 1:28a-b Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

Ezek 10:4b The cloud filled the temple, and the court was full of the radiance of the glory of the LORD.

[20] This seems primarily to be a function of the cloud manifestation.

Exod 24:16b For six days the cloud covered the mountain,

Exod 40:34 Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

1 Kgs 8:11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled his temple.

2 Chr 5:14 and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.

2 Chr 7:1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

2 Chr 7:2 The priests could not enter the temple of the LORD because the glory of the LORD filled it.

Ezek 44:4b I looked and saw the glory of the LORD filling the temple of the LORD, and I fell facedown.

Some references may be hyperbole.

Num 14:21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth,

Hab 2:14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

[21] God used this aspect of His glory to direct the people's movement in the wilderness.

Num 9:17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.... 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.

Thereafter, His glory moved independently of His people.

Exod 24:16a and the glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai.

Isa 60:1 Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.

Ezek 3:23 So I got up and went out to the plain. And the glory of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the Kebar River, and I fell facedown.

Ezek 9:3a Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple.

Ezek 10:4a Then the glory of the LORD rose from above the cherubim and moved to the threshold of the temple.

Ezek 10:18 Then the glory of the LORD departed from over the threshold of the temple and stopped above the cherubim.

Ezek 10:19 While I watched, the cherubim spread their wings and rose from the ground, and as they went, the wheels went with them. They stopped at the entrance to the east gate of the LORD's house, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

Ezek 11:23 The glory of the LORD went up from within the city and stopped above the mountain east of it.

Ezek 43:4 The glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.

[22] This is evident in passages that distinguish them.

Exod 14:19 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them,

Ezek 11:22 Then the cherubim, with the wheels beside them, spread their wings, and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

Ezek 43:5 Then the Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

Luke 2:9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.

Acts 7:55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

[23] In this way, God obscures His appearance.

Exod 24:16c ...on the seventh day the LORD called to Moses from within the cloud.

Exod 33:9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.

Num 12:5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward,

Num 14:14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O LORD, are with these people and that you, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.

Deut 31:15 Then the LORD appeared at the Tent in a pillar of cloud, and the cloud stood over the entrance to the Tent.

Ps 99:7a He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud....

Ezek 1:28b-c This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

Ezek 43:2 and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.

[24] It will happen yet again but in the heavenly sanctuary and not as a sign of approval, being as a prelude to the final stages of God's wrath (see n. 16).

Rev 15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

After that, it will recur in the earthy sanctuary of the Messianic Age.

Ezek 43:2 ...I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east....and the land was radiant with his glory. 3 The vision I saw was like the vision I had seen when he came to destroy the city and like the visions I had seen by the Kebar River.... 4 The glory of the LORD entered the temple.... Sb ...and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

[25] God offers further confirmation when He repeats this phenomenon and consumes the sacrifice, and when He appears to Solomon.

2 Chr 7:1 Now when Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the house.... 12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.

[26] Although the king secured Judah's borders early in his reign, a later alliance with Israel against Syria in the north proved unsuccessful and may have made Judah (appear) vulnerable to hostile neighbors in the south.

2 Chr 17:12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah

2 Chr 18:28 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah went up to Ramoth Gilead.... 31 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "This is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him,

There is no parallel account by the author of Kings describing Jehoshaphat's reign, and there is no mention of an appeal to Israel, although earlier/later the two kingdoms conducted a joint operation. Perhaps the current invasion is in retaliation for Judah's earlier participation in a war against Aram.

1 Kgs 22:2 But in the third year Jehoshaphat king of Judah went down to see the king of Israel. 3 The king of Israel had said to his officials, "Don't you know that Ramoth Gilead belongs to us and yet we are doing nothing to retake it from the king of Aram?" 4 ¶ So he asked Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to fight against Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses."

Cf. NASB 2 Chr 20:2 Then some came and reported to Jehoshaphat, saying, "A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, out of Aram and behold, they are in Hazazon-tamar (that is Engedi)."

[27] America's National Day of Prayer began and recurred in response to similar national crises.

During the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress recommended the observance of "a day of publick humiliation, fasting, and prayer" on July 20, 1775.
During the quasi-war with France, President John Adams declared "a day of solemn humility, fasting, and prayer" on May 9, 1798.
During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of "national humiliation, fasting and prayer" on April 30, 1863.
In the mid-twentieth century (1952 President Harry signed a bill proclaiming that a National Day of Prayer be declared by each following president on a date of his choice, later amended (1988) to the first Thursday of May.

[28] What marked him as such was his obedience.

1 Kgs 22:43a-b In everything he walked in the ways of his father Asa and did not stray from them; he did what was right in the eyes of the LORD.

2 Chr 17:4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel.

[29] Nevertheless, Asa was a good king who, during an earlier incident, relied on God's help.

2 Chr 14:9 Zerah the Cushite marched out against them with a vast army and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. 10 Asa went out to meet him, and they took up battle positions in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah. 11 Then Asa called to the LORD his God and said, "LORD, there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, 0 LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army. 0 LORD, you are our God; do not let man prevail against you." 12 The LORD struck down the Cushites before Asa and Judah. The Cushites fled,

[30] By turning from God, both kings lost His protection.

2 Chr 16:7 At that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah and said to him: "Because you relied on the king of Aram and not on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped from your hand.

2 Chr 21:8 In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king. 9 So Jehoram went there with his officers and all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night. 10 To this day Edom has been in rebellion against Judah. Libnah revolted at the same time, because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers.

[31] Jehoshaphat was not always so perceptive. His alliances with Israel before and after this event, despite prophetic warnings, proved disastrous to Judah and displeasing to God.

2 Chr 18:16 Then Micaiah answered, "I saw all Israel scattered on the hills like sheep without a shepherd, and the LORD said, 'These people have no master. Let each one go home in peace."

2 Chr 19:2 Jehu the seer, the son of Hanani, went out to meet him and said to the king, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, the wrath of the LORD is upon you.

2 Chr 20:35 Later, Jehoshaphat king of Judah made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness.... 37 Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have made an alliance with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made." The ships were wrecked and were not able to set sail to trade.

[32] Along with what he says, the king demonstrates the seriousness of his petition by preceding it with a fast (v. 3).

[33] Jehoshaphat paraphrases Solomon's request with the assumption of God's agreement.

2 Chr 6:28b when enemies besiege them in any of their cities, whatever disaster... may come, 29 and when a prayer or plea is made by any of your people Israel... spreading out his hands toward this temple-30a then hear from heaven, your dwelling place.

2 Chr 7:15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

[34] David offered similar encouragement when the Israelites faced Philistine forces.

1 Sam 17:47b . . . the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands.

[35] The biblical authors record several examples of God's commitment to fight for His people.

Exod 14:14 "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." ...25 He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt."

Deut 1:30 The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes,

Deut 3:22 Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you."

Deut 20:4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."

Josh 23:3 You yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you.... 10 One of you routs a thousand, because the LORD your God fights for you, just as he promised.

2 Chr 20:29 The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.

Neh 4:20 Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!"

[36] Others have spoken these same words to encourage God's people.

Joshua used them to encourage Israelite forces as they faced the daunting task of conquering the land.

Josh 10:25 Joshua said to them, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the LORD will do to all the enemies you are going to fight."

David used them to encourage Solomon as he faced the daunting task of consolidating his father's military gains and of constructing the Lord's temple.

1 Chr 22:13 ...you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid [and do not be] discouraged.

1 Chr 28:20 ..."Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid [and do not be] discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished.

Hezekiah used them to encourage Jerusalem residents as they faced the difficulties of surviving the siege.

2 Chr 32:7 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid [and do not be] discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.

[37] The king's decision to praise God before the enemy's defeat is an expression of confidence in God that appears in Israel's hymns.

Ps 18:3 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.

Ps 67:5 May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. 6 Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.

Ps 109:1 O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent, 2 for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.

The disciples displayed a similar confidence in prison, and God delivered them.

Acts 16:25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns [NAS adds "of praise"] to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose.

[38] It is a tactic He will use again, when enemy forces attack Israel during the Great Tribulation.