Psalm 68:24-27 NCV
“God, people have seen your victory march; God my King marched into the holy place.
The singers are in front and the instruments are behind. In the middle are the girls with tambourines.
Praise God in the meeting place; praise the Lord in the gathering of Israel.
There is the smallest tribe, Benjamin, leading them. And there are the leaders of Judah with their group. There are also the leaders of Zebulun and of Naphtali.”
This is not the first time we read of King David’s procession into Jerusalem singing and dancing, celebrating as the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ being returned to its rightful place.
In 2 Samuel 6:1-2 NLT, “Then David again gathered all the elite troops in Israel, 30,000 in all. He led them to Baalah of Judah to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord of Heavens armies who is enthroned between the cherubim”
There doesn’t appear to be much going on in these verses. However, David displays some very valuable attitudes and behaviors that line up with God and that we should adopt. In verses 24-26, we see dancing, praising, and celebrating!
The Ark of God was being returned to its rightful place, but the feeling that God has come home was exhilarating as the Ark had been exiled in another nation for quite some time. Praise God in the meeting place! A meeting place can be anywhere, a church, online churches, Bible studies, a small home study group, friends on their lunch breaks, a meadow full of wildflowers, or beside a giggling stream. Anywhere you are can be a meeting place with God, and we are free to praise to our heart’s desire.
Next, we read that the smallest tribe of Benjamin leads the procession, followed by the leaders of Judah, Zebulun, and Naphtali. The twelve sons of Jacob-(renamed later by God) to Israel are Rueben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.
The keys to take away here are: one, the smallest tribe of Benjamin leading the way is David’s predecessor. King Saul was from the tribe of Benjamin. The tribe of Benjamin opposed David’s rise to the throne; they were ever faithful to Saul. David shows honor and respect to their fallen king by placing them ahead of him. The tribe of Benjamin, by participating in the glorious celebration, shows reconciliation and submission to King David.
Next follows King David along with his leaders of Judah and the tribes Zebulun and Naphtali. David himself, taking a second seat, shows honor and respect and reminds me of a scripture in the New Testament that speaks of the least or the smallest being first.
Matthew 19:30 NLT “But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”
I think about that a lot, the quiet, behind the scene warriors of God, that nobody knows, sees or hears about. The meek and mild who have been trampled on by the mighty and strong. The rich and the famous seem to have everything while so many more have nothing. One day it will all right itself. The right will be rewarded and the wrong will receive their due.
But until that day, as we live in a world that feels like the bad guys always win, keep your faith because in eternity…The Good Guys take the Gold!
Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰
Sunshine On My Shoulder 