Boasting

Tom Barnard

n the mythical tale, “Arabian Nights,” there was a palace of indescribable beauty that brought great pride to the owner. One day he led a friend in a tour of the palace. When his friend had finished seeing this architectural beauty, the owner asked for his opinion of the structure. The friend said, “Yes, it is wonderful; it is almost perfect. All that is needed is a roc’s egg to swing from the ceiling.” The palace owner had no idea what his friend meant—a roc’s egg? “What’s a roc?” the owner may have mused to himself. His friend did not explain his comment. He left without resolving the question with the owner of the palace. The late Clovis Chappell said about this story, “…his friend left him in wretchedness and bitter discontent. His palace was little better than a prison without a roc’s egg to swing from the ceiling and thus make it perfect.” (For Dr. Chappell’s sermon, search Psalm 34 on Google).

I think I understand Dr. Chappell. The problem with the owner of the castle in “Arabian Nights” was that he was arrogant and conceited. He boasted in what he was and what he owned. When an outsider visited his palace and said that it was less than perfect, the owner was devastated. Dr. Chappell contrasted the man’s boasts with what David said about God in the 34^th Psalm,

“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.

My soul will boast in the Lord.”

The teaching of Psalm 34 is clear—those who boast in themselves boast in vain. David knew that to boast in himself was a waste of time and effort. He had his priorities straight. He boasted in God. What else did David know that we need to know today?

1. David knew that to receive from God, he had to ask. David said, “I sought the Lord; he delivered me from all my fears.” In Luke 11:9 Jesus said that in order to receive from God, you must first ask: “Ask and it will be given to you.” The suggestion here is that if you do not ask, you should not be surprised when you don’t receive. However, our Heavenly Father enjoys hearing our petitions. He never grows weary hearing from us. To ask is not selfish; it is smart.

2. David knew from his own experience, as well as from the experience of others, that God could be trusted to save. Speaking about someone else, the psalmist said (34:6), “This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.” The 34^th Psalm was not written totally in the first person singular. If David had said, “This is my experience…Here is what I said…Here is what God did for me,” there would have been skeptics everywhere, especially several centuries later. But because David also used the third person to describe the faithfulness of God, we can generalize the promises to include all who ask…who seek…who knock. David was inclusive, “…blessed is the man who takes refuge in him” (v. 8). Can you see the progression here? From “I sought the Lord…” to “This poor man called…” to “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him…” to “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them….”

3. David knew that God is not a distant God, but a God who is very near. The psalmist’s description of God is one who is close enough to see his children and to hear their cries. Verse 15: “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry.” I take this to mean that we do not need to beg God to see and hear us. He is already doing that, with or without our asking. God is watching!

4. David knew that God is a very good God. In verse 8 the psalmist said, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” In other words, “Try him for yourself; don’t take my word for it; check him out and see if he is what we say he is—good.” If God were capricious (impulsive, changing his mind all the time), we would have a hard time convincing unbelievers to trust in him. But he is good! He is trustworthy. He will always be this way. Wherever you are today, take time to extol the Lord. Boast in Him. Now.