Magnify the Lord with Me

 

Praise 11

 

Psalm 34.1–3

 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.

 

          As he writes this, the author of our psalm, David, is precariously situated in Saul's court. Repeatedly, Saul has lashed out and physically attempted to harm David. Finally, David confirms via Jonathan that Saul is determined to continue these attempts. Thus it is David decides to flee Saul's court. In the course of events, David would gather to himself a band of likewise discontented and distressed men. Together, they would live out the last remaining years of Saul's regime on the run, in hiding or granted sanctuary among Israel's enemies.

          David writes Psalm 34 as a grateful expression of God’s deliverance from the hands of his enemy, Saul. I do not believe he writes this after he is securely sitting on Israel’s throne but while still amongst the caves, still on the run, still in hiding. Which puts some perspective on the above passage, does it not?

          I see in this psalm five specific things David magnifies God for. First, he praises God for the fact the Lord answers his prayers. I sought the Lord and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. Next, he thanks God for the protection that the Almighty has granted him. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. Following this, he mentions that this same God has provided for his needs. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Additionally, he expresses his gratitude for the comfort the Lord has given him during each of these hazards. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Finally, he praises God for the redemption that He alone offers. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate. For each of these, and with each of these, David magnifies the Lord.

          I would ask you to notice, as well, when the psalmist praises God. I will bless the Lord at all times. In the original language, this carries the connotation of all seasons. When David was on top of the heap, he praised God. When David was on the run for his life, he praised God. When David had an entire kingdom's provisions, he praised God. When David and his men were so hungry they begged for food from Nabal, he praised God. This was not just a line in a hymn the author wrote; it was something he lived out all his days.

          The following phrase bears this out. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Praise, with David, was perpetual. This was not because things always went well, as we have already seen. It is because David consciously decided to include an active praising of God in his life and to do so on a constant/continual basis.

          David expresses this praise in two ways. First, he does so audibly in a way that can be heard. They were in his mouth. These are not just emotions of gratitude and worship left unexpressed or expressed only in private. They were loudly expressed in such a way that others could hear them. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear. The second way David made his praise known was with his pen. Although he does not say this hear, it is readily apparent. This is, after all, how we know that the psalmist praised God, what he did it for, and how he did it – because he wrote it all down.

          I want to be like David in this way. I want to praise Him. In all circumstances. Continually. Audibly. In writing, so that generations to come may read it and, in turn, praise God for themselves.

          In a very real sense, I think I can argue that this is precisely what David also wanted. In praising God and making that praise known to us, he also desires to motivate us to honor that same God. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.

          I think of this occasionally when we gather as a church to sing psalms of praise to our God. Each Wednesday night, our music consists of Scripture songs, many of which are psalms of praise. We are singing for and to the Lord, of course, and to edify one another. But occasionally, the thought crosses my mind, "Is David leaning over the battlements of Heaven and listening in tonight? Does it warm his heart to know that people who live thousands of years after his own time and on a completely different continent are using his words to magnify the Lord?”

          That question is, of course, impossible to answer. But whether David has ever noticed and been pleased or not, I believe with all my heart our Lord has noticed. I believe His heart has been warmed. I believe He is pleased.

          I invite you to join us, to join David, to lift your soul in praise to the God of Heaven. No One is more worthy. There is no greater use of your time. It does not have to look exactly like how I do it or how David did it. Just open your mouth and tell Him how awesome He is. Magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.