T h ink ing he would try an inter esting experiment, a business man decided to send twenty wires to friends across the country. The telegram contained just one word: “Congratulations!” As a result, within a week’s time, the executive received answers from all of the twenty either by mail, return wire, telephone or personal visit, thanking him for his thoughtfulness. Then they went on to talk about the deeds or achievements which stood out in their minds and that for which they believed they were being congratu lated. All of us like to receive praise. We all feel that there are certain things we have done to merit atten tion. Knowing man's imperfections, however, think how much more worthy the Lord is of receiving our adulation, adoration and thanksgiv ing for that which He is and which He has done on our behalf. The Psalms are filled with practi cal and glorious exercises in praise. The 34th chapter is such a portion of Scripture. The first 10 verses comprise a wonderfu l paeon of praise; the last 12 verses contain a beautiful sermon, further exalting the Lord. This Psalm forms an acrostic. The first letter of each verse or sentence begins with a let ter in the Hebrew alphabet of which ther are only 22. The message there fore fits every experience of life “from A to Z.”
It is interesting to note what was David’s background when the Holy Spirit led him to write these words. Before the actual text begins, an explanation is supplied that this was “A Psalm of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.” This refers to the account in First Samuel 21:13 if. David was fleeing from King Saul who meant to de stroy the one who had been anointed as the new king. David fled to Nob where he confronted the high priest, Abimelech. He was hungry and he asked for bread. The only thing available, however, was the holy shewbread, which David ate. The priest was frightened for his life as David then asked for a sword with which to protect himself. Abimelech gave him the only one he had. It was more than just a coincidence that it turned out to be the very one which Goliath had used when he sought to kill David on the battlefield many days before. From Nob David fled to Gath, stronghold of the Philistines. Before long, the people eyed David suspi ciously. Something abou t him brought back unpleasant memories. Soon somebody “fingered” him as the one who had slain their supposedly invincible hero, Goliath. The chant began: “He’s the one about whom Israel sings, ‘Saul hath killed his thousands, but David his ten thou sands.’ ” Apprehended, he was
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