Raise Your Praise

The day he appeared on the frontlines at Elah, no one knew David would become the nation of Israel’s most celebrated warrior. No one expected a lowly, obscure shepherd boy to transform in an instant to a bold and confident giant slayer.

Well, that is, no one except the sheepherder himself—David!

The youngest of four brothers, David was a bold, confident and curious young man who—up until the day he showed up on the frontlines in the Valley of Elah—had lived a relatively quiet and obscure life. Little did anyone know that the sheep fields of Bethlehem would become the training ground for a future king.

Being a shepherd boy gave David lots of time alone. Time alone with his thoughts. Time alone with his music. Time alone with God.

Music and God.

Those were two of David’s greatest loves. When not leading his sheep to pasture, or protecting them from lions, tigers, and bears, young David sang, worshipped, and played music to the God he loved and trusted with all his heart. So, long before that random day when he showed up on the frontlines at Elah, David’s life was filled with a trust and confidence in a God who was real, personal, and pure. His certainty in God had been developed through intimate hours of praise and worship.

So, on the day David arrived at that place that would become the site of his most famous battle, he didn’t arrive alone. He arrived with the presence and strength of a holy and mighty God. David arrived that day confident and assured of God’s power and provision— confidence and assurance he’d developed through endless hours of praise and worship during the seemingly quiet and insignificant times of his life.

It was the confidence David had in the power of God he’d learned through hours of praise, prayer, and worship before the battle that gave him the fearless strength and boldness in the face of a seemingly undefeatable giant. At the most critical moment in the battle, David raised his praise and unleashed the presence and power of his mighty God! David’s worship had become his weapon!

What about you? Do you find yourself unprepared and uncertain in the battles of life? Are you overwhelmed by the enemies of fear, discouragement, and uncertainty? Want to have more confidence in the battles you are facing? Then, like David, learn the art of praise. Learn to use worship as your weapon!

When faced with the giant of fear, use praise to defeat his attacks. When facing uncertainty, use worship to slay your doubts. When you don’t know what to pray, simply begin praising! Use the praise of your heart—even when you can’t see where God is leading you—to secure your mind and guide your thoughts. In doing so, you, just like David, may go from Silent Servant to Giant Slayer.

All you may need to do is raise your praise!

Daily Challenge

If you have one, share your favorite hymn or praise and worship song with a friend who’s going through their own battle. Perhaps your encouragement of praise can help them through a challenging time.