Sacrifice of Praise

Daily Bible Reading – Psalm 138:1 – 144:15

Psalm 141

“Let my prayer be set before You as incense [there was sweetness in that]; the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice [there was surrender in that].” David was no priest; not even a Levite. Certainly he could never enter into the holy place of the Most High and offer incense on the golden altar. Nor could he officiate in the court of the tabernacle at the brazen altar. It was not for him to offer up the evening sacrifice. Only a priest could take the evening sacrifice, shed its blood, flay it, and put its parts on those flames that burned on the brazen altar. Only a priest could take that holy fire from the brazen altar, carry it into the holy place, put the burning coals on the golden altar, sprinkle sweet-smelling incense on those coals, and watch the smoke ascend like prayer toward heaven. Not once in all his days would David see that, not even if he lived to be as old as Methuselah or lived to rule the world.

Yet young as he was, rare soul that he was, he had already progressed in his spiritual life from ritual to reality, from shadow to substance, from type to ultimate truth. He could be a priest—not a priest after the order of Aaron, but he could enter into that holy place “not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” He might not be able to bring a Mosaic offering, but he could bring a meaningful offering: “Let my prayer be counted as incense, and the lifting up of my hands as sacrifice.”

David took his stand on “New Testament ground” a thousand years before his time. No need for him, like wretched Uzziah, to push his way into the holy place and usurp the prerogatives of the priests. He had advanced beyond that. God looked down on His young servant. He must have listened with delight to this spiritual prayer and it thrilled His heart. One can almost see Him pointing David out to the angels and saying, “There! That's a man after My heart.”