Davidic Worship

The term “Davidic worship” refers to worship inspired by the worship of King David. David’s worship can be a template for believers to follow to worship God today. Examples of worship are seen in I Chronicles 15, 16, 25 and I Samuel 6, as well as in the Psalms.

And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals….. And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart. I Samuel 6: 5, 16 (KJV)

How did David structure Israel’s worship? He pitched a tent to house the Ark of God, which was where God’s presence was. He appointed Levitical priests to be singers and some to be instrumentalists. They prophesied vocally in song and on instruments. He had choirs to praise God. He had worship going on 24 hours a day. It was an around-the-clock, non-stop worship service.

This was a picture of New Testament worship. God has made the New Testament believer a priest to minister to Him 24 hours a day. All we do is to be worship unto God. Whether we play an instrument or not, our hearts are instruments that we are to play as we sing and release songs from our hearts to the Lord. Every minute of every day, we are to glorify God in all we do; our lives are worship (Romans 12:1). As we eat, work, play, sleep, or whatever we do, we are to do it all for His glory (I Corinthians 10:31).

I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1 (KJV)

David offered animal sacrifices as worship to God, and now instead of animals, we are to offer a sacrifice of praise or spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving in His Name (Hebrews 13;15). David wrote, played and sang Psalms, songs of praise to God and taught others to do the same. Ephesians 5:18-19 tells the New Testament believer to be filled with the Spirit, speaking and singing Psalms, hymns, and other spiritual songs to the Lord from our hearts. A psalm is Scripture set to music. Hymns are songs of praise to God. Spiritual songs are those given to us by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul also speaks of similar worship elements in I Corinthians 14:15-18, 26, 31. He talks about singing in the Spirit, or singing in tongues, as well as singing in his native language. He also speaks of prophesying. This shows us that worship can be done in tongues just as it can be done in our own language, as long as there is order.

Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ…. But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; I Peter 2:5, 9 (KJV)

As believers, we are lively stones, a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, made to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God. In David’s day, they offered animal sacrifices in a physical tabernacle. Today, because Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice that made the way for us to access God, we ourselves are the dwelling place of God (II Peter 1:13-14), and we offer spiritual sacrifices of worship. Our sacrifice joins with Christ’s sacrifice as an offering that is holy and acceptable to God.

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)

We worship God from our hearts by singing, playing instruments, dancing, shouting, and everything else David did to express worship to the Lord. Psalm 150 is a prime example of this..

Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 150:1-6 (KJV)

We are to be New Testament Davids, bringing glory to God.