“It was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison, in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord. And when the song was raised with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.
The house, the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priest could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.”
– 2 Chronicles 5:13–14
What a scene. In 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 they’re singing and playing with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments. Just imagine this, they’re singing this song, playing this music as the ark comes into the temple, and the song is, God is good, and his steadfast love endures forever. And as they sing and play this music, the temple is filled with a cloud, so that the priests can’t even stand there.
The glory of the Lord filling the house of God as the people of God are playing music and singing, God is good, and his steadfast love endures forever.
The glory of the Lord filling the house of God as the people of God are playing music and singing, God is good, and his steadfast love endures forever. What a picture of worship.
A Prayer Based on 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
Let’s do this. As we pray, according to 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 today, let’s say what they were singing that day. Let’s just praise God together, for his goodness and his steadfast love, and pray that he would use our lives as a temple of the Holy Spirit today, to make his glory known in the world around us. His goodness known in the world around us. His love known in the world around us today. This is what we do. We’re temples of the Holy Spirit. We’re the place where the glory of God dwells.
So even as we gather together in churches, we are the place together, where the glory of God dwells. So God we say together, with the singers and the trumpeters and those playing other instruments on that day in second Chronicles five, we say together today, “You are good, and your steadfast love endures forever.” You are good, and your steadfast love endures forever. You are good, oh God, and your steadfast love endures forever, and ever, and ever. So we praise you for your goodness. We praise you for your steadfast love.
Knowing God’s Love
So, as we gather together in churches today, we pray that you would display your glory, as we celebrate your goodness and your steadfast love. That your spirit would move in powerful ways, as we gather together, as your people, as your church. As the place where your Holy Spirit dwells, that people today would come to know your goodness and your steadfast love.
And then God, as we scatter, we pray that your goodness would spread through us. That people would see our lives, good deeds. The fruit of your Spirit, the salt and light, and give glory to you, as our father in heaven. So God, we pray that you would spread your love in the world. Through us, through the way we live. And the way we serve. The way we love others, and the way we share the gospel.
Sharing God’s Glory like in 2 Chronicles 5:13-14
God, we pray that you would use us this week to lead people to your steadfast love. God, we pray for open doors to share the gospel today, with people who don’t know you, to share about your steadfast love and your goodness. We pray for that all week long. We pray that you give us boldness to share the gospel. God, we pray for the four people of Egypt, no known Christians among this Muslim people. We pray that they would come and know your goodness and your steadfast love.
So God, we pray, that our lives, as temples of your Holy Spirit, and our churches, as temples of the Holy Spirit, would be continual celebrations of your goodness, and your steadfast love. And continual declarations of your goodness and your steadfast love in the world around us.
In Jesus’ name, we pray, according to 2 Chronicles 5:13-14. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
