Scripture Daily

Context No. 1998 of 4322 · Sirach

Context · Reflection

Sirach 47:1-16: in context

1After him, Nathan rose up to prophesy in the days of David. 2As is the fat when it is separated from the peace offering, so was David separated from the children of Israel. 3He played with lions as with kids, and with bears as with lambs of the flock. 4In his youth didn’t he kill a giant, and take away reproach from the people when he lifted up his hand with a sling stone, and beat down the boasting Goliath? 5For he called upon the Most High Lord, and he gave him strength in his right hand to kill a man mighty in war, to exalt the horn of his people. 6So they glorified him for his tens of thousands, and praised him for the blessings of the Lord, in that a glorious diadem was given to him. 7For he destroyed the enemies on every side, and defeated the Philistines his adversaries. He broke their horn in pieces to this day. 8In every work of his he gave thanks to the Holy One Most High with words of glory. He sang praise with his whole heart, and loved him who made him. 9He set singers before the altar, to make sweet melody by their music. 10He gave beauty to the feasts, and set in order the seasons to completion while they praised his holy name, and the sanctuary resounded from early morning. 11The Lord took away his sins, and exalted his horn forever. He gave him a covenant of kings, and a glorious throne in Israel. 12After him a wise son rose up, who because of him lived in security. 13Solomon reigned in days of peace. God gave him rest all around, that he might set up a house for his name, and prepare a sanctuary forever. 14How wise you were made in your youth, and filled as a river with understanding! 15Your influence covered the earth, and you filled it with parables and riddles. 16Your name reached to the far away islands, and you were loved for your peace.

Sirach praises David, recalling how he killed the giant, called upon God who gave him strength, and won victory over his enemies. But amid the praise of his deeds is a note about his devotion: in every work of his he gave thanks to the Holy One, singing praise with his whole heart and loving the God who made him. He set singers before the altar and gave beauty to the worship of God, that his holy name might be praised. David wove thanksgiving and praise through all his life and work.

The detail worth dwelling on is that in every work of his, David gave thanks to God, singing praise with his whole heart. His thanksgiving and praise were not confined to set times of worship, occasional and separate from the rest of his life; they were woven through everything he did, in every work, a continual giving of thanks and praise that ran through the whole of his life. Whatever he did, he did with thanksgiving; whatever he undertook, he gave the praise to God. There is a pattern here for our own lives worth learning. We tend to confine our worship and thanksgiving to particular times and places, church on Sunday, prayer at set moments, keeping our praise of God separate from the ordinary work and activity of our lives. David's way was different: he gave thanks to God in every work, wove praise through the whole of his life, so that his thanksgiving was not an occasional activity but a continual posture, running through everything he did. This is what Scripture calls us to: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; whatever you do, in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks. Thanksgiving and praise are meant to be woven through the whole of our lives, not confined to set times, so that in every work, in the ordinary tasks and activities of our days, we give thanks to God and offer him our praise. This transforms ordinary work into worship. When we give thanks to God in every work, do all in his name with gratitude, and weave praise through our daily activities, then even the ordinary tasks of life become offerings to God, and our whole life becomes a continual thanksgiving. David gave thanks in every work and sang praise with his whole heart; and the invitation to us is to a like continual thanksgiving, weaving praise and gratitude through the whole of our lives and work, rather than confining our worship to set times while the rest of life goes on without it. In everything, give thanks; and let the whole of life, in every work, become an offering of praise to the God we love.

Do I confine my worship and thanksgiving to set times and places, keeping my praise of God separate from the ordinary work and activity of my life, or can I follow David, who in every work gave thanks to God and sang praise with his whole heart, weaving thanksgiving and praise through the whole of my life so that even my ordinary tasks become offerings to God?

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