Praises, Joy, and Freedom.

One set belongs to the Lord. The other to the King. Both the Lord and the King are the same, of course, but by their title – uniquely different.

How does one set – in the song Let it Rise, by Holland Davis – connect to the Lord? How does the other connect to the King? And what makes one distinct from the other?

Glory

What is the glory of the Lord?

The first time the Bible records such a thing is in Exodus. No, not in the burning bush scene, but quite a few chapters later, specifically Chapter 16. Moses and Aaron have led the Hebrews out of Egyptian captivity. They have seen miracles, signs and wonders. They have grumbled and complained and with each kvetch God has met their every need. You need to get out of captivity; I’ll provide a few plagues and a city-wide death on the firstborn of the Egyptians. You need to get through the Red Sea; I’ll part it for you. You need water that’s not bitter; I’ll have it come out of a rock.  Sweet, too. And now you complain about food? Have you learned nothing?

So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD” (Exodus 16:6, 7a).

This word, glory, in Hebrew is kawbode. It translates: glorious, abundance, riches, splendor.

Imagine – in spite of what God has done for you – in a dark moment, you have cried out and said, “Show me your glory!” What you are saying is this: your glorious abundance … glorious riches … glorious splendor.

The splendor of God in the provisions of His hand. Let it cover every need we have. Every requirement for life and for living. Let it rise…

Songs

David, that great songster, wanted to build a temple – a place to house the Glory of the Lord. But because of the blood on his hands – for David was a man of war – God would not allow it. He could design it and provide for it, but the honor of seeing it built would go to his son Solomon.

A part of this act – of this passing down the crown from one head to another – was to make certain the Levites where properly divided and that they carried out their responsibilities for the Holy Place and for service in the temple of the Lord. (see 1 Chronicles 23)

The Word then says that David, along with some of the army’s commanders, set apart those who would carry out prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres, and cymbals.

All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the Lord… (1 Chronicles 25: 6).