Don't Lose Your Praise
1 Samuel 18: 20-21
“And Michal, Saul's daughter, loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him.
And Saul said, I will give him her, that she may be a snare to him, and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him. Wherefore Saul said to David, Thou shalt this day be my son in law in the one of the twain.”
1 Samuel 18:20-21
Michal was not the one that Saul was supposed to be given to be David’s wife. Merab was the one that Saul had promised to give to David. But when Saul learned that Michal loved David, he gave Merab to Adriel the Meholathite and Michal to David.
The Bible makes it very clear that Michal loved David. What made this young beautiful daughter of the king fall in love with David? Because their backgrounds were totally opposite. David came from a poor family, while Michal came from the wealthiest family in the land. David came from an unknown family while Michal came from the most well known family in Israel. But in spite of their differences, the Bible says “Michal loved David.”
Why did she love David? What made him different from all the other men of Israel? The thing that made David different and the thing that Michal loved about David was this: He was a Praiser and a Worshipper!
When you think of praise and worship, if you know the Bible, you automatically think of David. There was no greater Praiser....no greater worshipper in the Bible than David. David seemed to always be dancing and praising God. David could get out of the bed of adultery and within no time he would be dancing and praising God.
David had a revelation of God’s grace and mercy. That’s why you would find him praising God even after he committed sin. Some people might ask how David could praise God after sinning. You might see and watch people today, who you know are not living right, come to church and start praising God. And you might wonder, “Why are they praising God? What do they have to praise God for?” The truth is, if a person sins, and don’t die in their sins, they have a whole lot to praise God for! If they would have died in their sins they would be in hell. But because of God's mercy and His Grace...... they are still here in the land of the living.
Did you know that there is only one qualification to be a Praiser? And that is that you have breath.
The Bible say's,....“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord." Psalms 150:6
It doesn’t matter what you are going through. It doesn’t matter what you have or what you may not have. You have the right to praise God! It doesn’t matter how backslidden you may feel or how backslidden you may be. You still have a right to praise the Lord. Why? Because you have breath.
Several years ago, while in a Friday Night Worship Service at my home Church. Mt Calvary COGIC I remember that there was a drunk man that staggered in the service one night. While the music was playing and we were praising God and singing those old testimony songs, that drunk man began to fall on the floor and put his arm up to cover his eyes because he kept saying that the light that was radiating from the pulpit was blinding him. My Pastor kept telling him to come forward and he kept saying no he couldn't what ended up happening was he fell out under the power of God and as he tried to get back up he started shout and praise God! (He had a bottle of whiskey in his back pocket!) but the truth is that drunk out praised and out shouted all the saved, sanctified, saints that were at the service that night!
If a drunk can dance, shout, and praise God, how much more should the saints of God have a praise to give God? If sinners can praise God just because of the fact they have breath. How much more should we as children of the most High God who not only have breath, but also have our names written in the Lambs Book of Life, who have been redeemed, delivered, and set free from the power of sin - how much more should we have a praise to raise to the Lord?
I love what David said:
In Psalms 103:1-5
“Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
We that have been saved, not only have our sins forgiven, but we also have been given so many blessings to go along with salvation!
The Bible also talks about how we should Bless the Lord, because He daily loads us with benefits. Psalms 68:19
Yes you and I truly have a right to Praise the Lord!
David was a Praiser. One reason I believe David spent so much time praising and worshipping God was because he had a true understanding and revelation of the grace and mercy of God. David seemed to have an understanding of the power of the Blood before there was ever a Calvary!
When David disobeyed God, and sinned, according to the law he should have been stoned! But he would turn to God and repent and then he would begin to praise and bless the name of the Lord.
When he couldn’t get to the temple or when he couldn’t get to the altar, or the priests, because Saul had closed the temples and killed many of the priests. David would reach out, in the dark of night, and grab an ephod or something else that reminded him of God, and began to praise and worship God. He knew if he could get the attention of God, if he could get God on his side then “everything would be alright!” He knew as long as God was on his side that even Saul with all of his mighty army couldn’t destroy him! That is one reason why he could praise God even during the hard times when he was running for his life from King Saul.
David was fervent in his worship! and He was reckless in his praise!
In fact, when David would praise the Lord, he would praise Him with his whole heart! * Psalms 111:1
Today most Christians don’t know how to praise God with their whole heart. Many Christians are afraid of what they might look like or what people might think about them. Who cares what people think about you? Many of the people who will talk about you don’t even like you, so why should you care what they think about you?
Besides that, nobody knows like you know what the Lord has done for you. You need to understand that there is a story behind your praise......there's a story behind your shout that there is a story behind your testimony!
You might say, “What if I am not in the spirit?” Why do you think you have to be in the spirit to be a Praiser? Are you in the spirit when you go to Wal-Mart? Are you in the spirit when you go to the grocery store? Are you in the spirit when you go your favorite restaurant, or when you go on a trip? You don’t have to be in the spirit to praise God. Remember all you have to have is breath!
Having been in the ministry for so many years, I’ve heard people say about other people-“I don’t think they are in the spirit.” Who made them a judge? Who are we to judge who is in the spirit or who is not in the spirit? I’ve learned to keep my mouth shut and my hands off other people’s praise. I’ve seen people praise God in all kinds of what I would call unusual ways. I’ve seen people not only dance, leap, sing, and clap their hands. I’ve seen people run to the back of the pews, run around the church, climb benches, and even jump pews! I may not always understand the way people express their praise to God, but I’ve learned to keep my hands and my mouth off other peoples’ praise.
I’m sure many people don’t understand my praise. But they don’t know how good the Lord has been to me! I haven’t always had what I have now. God has been so good to me! The truth is I could never praise Him enough!
David knew it was because of God that he was in the position that he was in. He knew that it was not his own power or ability that got him to the place that he was, but it was the work of his Father in heaven and in return he was continually giving God praise. When it comes to praise and worship there was no greater than David.
Not only was David a great praiser and worshipper, he was also the greatest king that Israel had ever had. To this day the tomb of David is sacred. It is guarded 24 hours a day. Candles are continually burning as they honor this great man.
Also under the leadership of King David, Israel possessed all the land that God had promised them. This had never happened before nor has it ever happened since.
What made David such a great king? What made him the greatest king that Israel has ever known? It wasn’t his intelligence level because his son Solomon was by far much wiser. It wasn’t his ability to be a mighty man of valor because he spent years of his life running in fear from King Saul. It wasn’t his holiness because David had a sinful nature and fought many battles with lust. It wasn’t his virtue of being a good father, frankly, he was a terrible father. It wasn’t his upright character because most of the time he had little or no character traits. It wasn’t his ability to hear the voice of God because many times God wouldn’t even speak to David.
Yet, there was something that made him different. There was something that set him apart from all the other leaders of his day. While other kings would pray or go to a prophet for a word from God during the times of trouble, David did more. David would go into a season of praise. That is what made David different than all Israel’s other kings and leaders. David knew how to praise God in spite of what he was going through!
Throughout the Book of Psalms you find David not only praying, but also praising the Lord with all his heart. In fact, David said, “seven times a day I am going to stop and give God some praise!” *Psalms 119:164
Then he decided seven times a day was not enough, so he declared:
“I will praise the Lord for as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God as long as breath fills my lungs and blood flows through my veins.” Psalms 146:2
David had a revelation of the power of praise because in the midst of trials, troubles, and battles he would praise God. When his enemies were encamped round about him—he would still praise God! During the time he was being lied on, living in caves, and running for his life from King Saul - he still had a praise on his lips. On the worst day of his life, when he returned with his soldiers to Ziklag and found the city burnt with fire, and their wives and children had been taken away into captivity, what does the Bible say that David did? He encouraged himself in the Lord! *1 Samuel 30:6
I don't have any doubt of what this means— All David is saying that after I encouraged myself in the Lord I began to praise Him and not myself!
There is something about praise that brings encouragement. When you begin to praise God, even in the midst of trouble, problems, and hurtful situations, it automatically makes you feel better. David refused to quit praising the Lord. He wouldn’t let circumstances, situations, set backs, or even his enemies steal his praise.
David learned as a young man how to praise God. He praised God on his harp; I’m sure as he watched his father’s sheep. That is why he was such a good musician when he was called to go and stand before King Saul. Not only did he praise God on the harp, he was continually singing, dancing, or making some kind of noise!
Never apologize because of your noisy praise! Praisers have always been and always will be noisy! Also, quit being afraid of offending somebody especially when you shout praises to the Lord. If you have a praise to give to God—give it, and give the best you got! Why do you think heaven is noisy? Because it is full of praisers! *Revelation 7:9-10
Up until the time that David killed Goliath he was an unknown Shepard boy. But once David killed the giant, he immediately got promoted. The truth is, Saul never really liked David, but he did like what came with David. What came with David was the anointing that was upon his life and the praise that he was continually offering to God.
Once David killed Goliath, Saul was obligated to give one of his daughters to David in marriage. Thinking David would be killed - he told his servants:
“Thus shall ye say to David, The king desireth not any dowry, but an hundred foreskins of the Philistines, to be avenged of the king's enemies…” 1 Samuel 18:25
David not only killed one hundred Philistines, but he goes and slays two hundred Philistines and cuts off their foreskins and throws them at Saul’s feet! What woman today wouldn’t give anything to have a man like David? Today, some men run and hide when the bill collector comes to the front door! David didn’t run from his enemies, but instead he ran toward them and killed two hundred of them. To fulfill his oath, once David brought the foreskins to him, Saul gave Michal to David to be his wife.
She looked at this young man whom some Bible scholars say was between 18 and 21 years old, and she watched him as he would dance into the house of God. She watched him as he continually praised and worshipped God. She fell in love with him. She was attracted not only to David, but also to his praise and worship. You couldn’t love David without loving his praise and worship. It was part of him. You couldn’t separate him from his praise and worship, it was all he knew.
There is nothing more attractive to a godly woman than to watch a man praise and worship God! As, I’ve said many times - Man, if you want your wife to truly love and honor you, become a praiser, become a worshipper because the more you stay in His presence.....the more you will learn how to Love her. There is something about a man that knows how to praise and worship God that makes him stand out among all the other men.
Michal loved David. The day comes when they’re married and their life as a couple begins, but trouble is on the horizon. Because David still has to run and remove himself from Saul’s presence due to his jealousy and the evil spirit tormenting him. One day, Jonathan, Saul’s son, comes to David and tells him to depart and run for his life for Saul is planning on killing him. At this time, Michal loved David so much that she risks her own life to save his, by letting him down through a window. When the servants of Saul come for David, she tells them he is sick. When they tell Saul, he sends them the second time to take him, but David has already escaped.
“Because Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats' hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth. 1 Samuel 19:12-13
I’m sure as Michal helped David escape, in her mind she believed that he will be returning for her in a few days. Why wouldn’t she think that? She loved him to the degree that she was willing to go against her own father and risk her own life to save his life. I’m sure there was no doubt in Michal’s heart. She knew he would be coming back for her.
Time goes by. Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and David never shows up. Months turn into years and David is continually running from Saul, and he never returns back for his wife - Michal. I’m sure she waits day after day, week after week, year after year—but there are no messages, no word from the one she loves.
One day she receives word that David married Abigail. I wonder how she felt. Yes, the one she had waited so long to return for her! The one she risked her life for! The one she loved more than anybody else in the world! He is now married to another woman - Abigail! How did Michal feel? Was she broken, hurt, or maybe angry? Did she feel betrayed? Or maybe bitter? How would you feel if the same thing happened to you? On top of all this, Saul gives her to another man to be his wife. A man whom she probably didn’t even love.
As time goes by, Saul dies and David is soon going to be anointed king. But the Bible says there was still a battle raging between David and his followers and Saul’s followers.
“Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David: but David waxed stronger and stronger, and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker.” 2 Samuel 3:1
There was a man by the name of Abner who had stood strong for the house of Saul, but when Abner realized the house of Saul was about to fall and David was about to become king over all Israel, he sent messengers to David seeking to make a peace treaty. *2 Samuel 3:12
Notice how David responds to the offer that Abner made:
“He said, Well; I will make a league with thee: but one thing I require of thee, that is, Thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring Michal Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see my face.” 2 Samuel 3:13
The first thing David asked Abner for was that he send him his first wife Michal, the one that he knew loved him. In fact, she loved him to the point that she was willing to risk her own life for his. If David had never been loved by another woman, he had been loved by his first wife, Michal. Michal and David are reunited. Abigail is not mentioned for some time. In fact, for some time no other woman that was in David’s life was mentioned. David and Michal are finally back together. He’s finally with the woman that he knew loved him, once again.
When Michal and David are reunited the Ark of the Covenant was not in the hands of God’s children. When David became king his greatest desire was to bring the ark back to Jerusalem (The ark represented the presence of God.) David gathered his mighty men and they went out to recover the ark. But, instead of doing it God’s way they did it the easy way, their way, and placed the ark upon a new cart.
As they made their way to Jerusalem, the oxen stumbled, shook the ark, and as Uzzah reached up and touched the ark - God struck him dead. David was so afraid; he left the ark in the house of Obededom for three months. During this time everything in Obededom’s house was blessed.
“And the ark of the Lord continued in the house of Obed-e’dom the Git’tte three months: and the Lord blessed Obed-e’dom, and all his household.”
2 Samuel 6:11
After three months David decides to go and get the ark out of the house of Obededom. This time he does it God’s way instead of the easy way.
They place the ark on the shoulders of the priests and continually stop and offer sacrifices to God as they move the ark towards Jerusalem. As they bring the ark into Jerusalem, David and the people were so excited that they fanatically praise and worship God.
“Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.”
1 Chronicles 15:28
David was so excited, that he danced before the Lord with all his might. In fact, he danced so hard that he danced himself out of his kingly robe:
“How glorious was the king of Israel to day who uncovered him self.”
2 Samuel 6:20
All Israel watched as David danced before the Lord. All Israel watched him as he fanatically praised God.
How long has it been since someone has seen you praise God? In the old days, the saints would not only praise God in the house of God, but they would praise Him in their own house, and anywhere they felt a praise rise up from within them even if it was in the grocery store.
The Bible says that David came into Jerusalem, leaping, dancing, and praising God with all of his might. Michal looked out of her window and saw David and she despised him in her heart:
*2 Samuel 6:16
When he returned home she began to make fun of him:
The Bible says that when David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, that she said to him, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncoveres himself!”
2 Samuel 6:20
I love David’s response—If you think I danced and leaped before God this time, wait until next time! If you think I was fanatically praising God today—wait until tomorrow!
“And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord.
And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.”
2 Samuel 6:21-22
The things that caused her to fall in love with him, his praise and worship, is now the thing that she hates! She watched David as he praised God with all of his might. She watched him dance and leap before the Lord but now she despises him in her heart! The man that she loved so much, that she would risk her own life to save, she now despises! Love is turned to hate! Attraction is turned to disgust! She despises the fact he is now humble instead of prideful. She despises his leaping and dancing. She despises his praise. The thing she once loved - now she hates!
What happened to Michal? What caused such a change in her? Was it Abigail? Was it the fact that David had forsaken her for so many years? Or maybe was it the death of her father Saul? Or maybe it was the death of all her brothers? What happened that caused her to change so much? What made her lose her love for David? What made her lose her love for praise and worship?
Michal is not the same woman she once was. She has been affected by life. She has been forsaken by the one she loved and given to another man whom she didn’t love. She lost her life as a princess, she lost her kingdom. But saddest of all - she lost her praise! She lost her love for the one thing she loved the most.
So many people today are like Michal, they have lost many of the things that they loved. Some people are no longer with the person they loved. Others have lost a business, a house, or a car. Some have lost their retirement or all their investments.
Regardless of what you may have lost or what you might lose in the future - Don't never lose your praise! Once you lose your praise, it is easy to become bitter, angry, depressed and full of hate. If you lose your praise during hard times, hurt or betrayal, if you are not careful the thing that you once loved, you will despise!
Michal despised David as he leaped and danced before the Lord with all his might and the Bible says, “God shut her womb and she bare no children to the day of her death.”
“Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.”
2 Samuel 6:23
One of the saddest things about the story of Michal is after the Bible says God closed her womb, she is never mentioned again. She died sometime later a barren, bitter woman.
Never lose your praise! Praise Him in the middle of your pain, heartache, trouble and disappointments!
Praise God in the middle of hard times! Why? Because your praise will cause God to move on your behalf!
Your praise will cause your situation to change. It will cause what looks impossible to be made possible.
Regardless of what you lose – DON’T LOSE YOUR PRAISE!
THERE IS A MIRACLE
IN YOUR PRAISE!
