Judges 5 … Consider Him, and Bless the LORD!

Originally posted: 10/08/2019

Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
“That the leaders led in Israel,
That the people volunteered,
Bless the Lord!”(5:1).

To bless: 1288. בָּרַךְ bāraḵ: A verb meaning to bless, kneel, salute, or greet. The verb derives from the noun knee and perhaps suggests the bending of the knee in blessing, Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance.

After their great victory, Deborah and Barak lead the nation in commemorating the righteous deeds of the LORD. It was a practice of the nation, to gather in corporate worship through song and recount His faithfulness on their behalf.

And as they reflected on His deliverance, a response of gratitude, praise, and worship erupts as the whole nation bows together to Bless the LORD!

Consider Him, and Bless the LORD!

• They Blessed the LORD as they came to Him in humility.
  • Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying,
    “That the leaders led in Israel,
    That the people volunteered,
    Bless the Lord!”(5:1).
    

• They Blessed the LORD as they shared His praises with others.
  • “Hear, O kings; give ear, O rulers!
    I—to the Lord, I will sing,
    I will sing praise to the Lord, the God of Israel,” (5:3).
  • “My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel,
    The volunteers among the people;
    Bless the Lord!
    ¹⁰ “You who ride on white donkeys,
    You who sit on rich carpets,
    And you who travel on the road—sing!” (5:9-10).

• They Blessed the LORD as they recounted His righteous deeds.
  • “At the sound of those who divide flocks among the watering places,
    There they shall recount the righteous deeds of the Lord,
    The righteous deeds for His peasantry in Israel,” (5:11).

How do we respond to Him, that we too would Bless the LORD?

We so often reflect and consider His blessings upon us. But Scripture admonishes us to Bless the LORD (see Psalms 103 and 104 for starters).

But we may find ourselves wondering, how? How can we possibly Bless such a great and mighty God? As we look to the original language, that “perhaps suggests the bending of the knee in blessing,”  we can glean the posture necessary to Bless the LORD. It is as we look up from our lowly position in humility, look up in faith, and look up in dependence; it is as we look up to Him in that submissive attitude and action, that we too Bless the LORD!

Billy Graham was noted as saying, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” In other words, none are more deserving; no one is above anyone else when we stand before Him in need of His grace and mercy.

And when we have received His gift of salvation by faith, and reflect upon His deliverance, a response of gratitude, praise, and worship will surely erupt to Bless the LORD!

• We Bless the LORD as we come to Him in humility and faith.
  • O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
    My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
    In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
    ² Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,
    To see Your power and Your glory, (Psalm 63:1-2).
  • Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you, (1Peter 5:6-7).

• We Bless the LORD as we share His praises with others.
  • Come and hear, all who fear God,
    And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.
    ¹⁷ I cried to Him with my mouth,
    And He was extolled with my tongue.
    ¹⁸ If I regard wickedness in my heart,
    The Lord will not hear;
    ¹⁹ But certainly God has heard;
    He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.
    ²⁰ Blessed be God,
    Who has not turned away my prayer
    Nor His lovingkindness from me, (Psalm 66:16-20).

• We Bless the LORD as we recount His righteous deeds.
  • When I remember You on my bed,
    I meditate on You in the night watches,
    ⁷ For You have been my help,
    And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.
    ⁸ My soul clings to You;
    Your right hand upholds me, (Psalm 63:6-8).

• We Bless the LORD because He has so blessed us.
  • Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, (Ephesians 1:3).

• Because He has so blessed us, we are to be a blessing to others.
  • “…so I will save you that you may become a blessing. Do not fear; let your hands be strong,” (Zechariah 8:13).

Let us be a blessing to others because we have been chosen and so very blessed; and may we daily consider Him Who has called us out of darkness, and Bless the LORD!

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, (1 peter 2;9).

Let’s Grow Together!