Today’s passage: Psalm 144
Helpful thoughts:
- This is a song to be sung by the king with blessings for the whole nation.
- Ultimately, Jesus is the only king who will see these blessings in full for the people of God.
- Compare verse 2 with 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.
- Verses 12-15 convey the goal of victory for any king, the blessing and benefit of the people he leads. Leadership is service.
Questions to consider:
- In what way does David attribute all success to God in the first few verses, even military success that may come through his weapons or technique on the battle field? Why does God deserve all the glory?
- What is the contrast between verses 3-4 and verses 5-8? How do we get the courage and boldness to ask a transcendent and holy God to “come down” and intervene in our lives? Where could that courage come in a wrong way? Where could that courage come in a right way?
- Why does leadership require dying to self? Who was to benefit from David’s leadership? Who was to get the credit for the blessing?