Turning wailing beds into dancing floors and morning sackcloth into clothing of joy is the often ending to David’s psalms. A repeating theme of David’s life was tragedy tears to triumph jubilation. He was no different from everyone, except his life was on public display when he was king of Israel for no self-design. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, however, designed their lives to be public displays of religious piety. Jesus rejected this practice.
“Be careful,” Jesus said to his disciples. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees, which is hypocrisy.” (Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1) They wanted everyone to revere them because of their devotion to God. They were the subject of worship, not God. Their status was the work of their worship, not the Lord. Their prayers were to themselves, not Jesus. What other people thought of them was their reward, not what God thought of them.
David, however, ends this psalm with, “…that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.” examine my heart. Why do I do what I do? What are the motivations of my heart?
