Psalm 169 from Beyond Psalm 150
David’s son Solomon replaces his father as king and prepares to build the temple for God. In addition to the materials David had already stockpiled, Solomon requests cedar logs, other resources, and a skilled artist from Hiram (Huram), king of Tyre.
King Hiram is pleased to assist and responds in a letter to King Solomon. His correspondence opens with his own psalm of praise to God.
“Because Yahweh loves his people, he has made you king over them . . .
“Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given to David the king a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who would build a house for Yahweh, and a house for his kingdom.”
2 Chronicles 2:11–12 (WEB)
Reflection on King Hiram’s Testimony
We don’t know about King Hiram’s standing with Yahweh. Not being one of God’s chosen people, it’s easy to assume that Hiram doesn’t have a relationship with the Almighty.
Yet his words praise Yahweh as Creator. This may be a result of personal belief or his assumption based on what he witnessed in King David’s life.
When we hear someone praise God or make a surprising declaration, do we dismiss it because they’re not from our group? Or do we embrace their words and worship God without judging the source?
May we see others as God sees them and refrain from dismissing them.
Explore the other psalms—sacred songs of praise, petition, and lament—scattered throughout the Bible in Peter’s book Beyond Psalm 150.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
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