Hey Mike,
Man, has the Word of God come alive!  I really appreciate all you do.

I have a question about what we call “praise ‘n worship”. I understand that worship is not just lifting hands and dancing, but it’s a lifestyle of Sacrifice and Obedience unto the Lord. However the bible does speak of praising him with songs and dancing like David, and then God said he was rebuilding the Tabernacle of David; who we all know broke through and found out God wants obedience more than sacrifice. What are your thoughts on how when we as believers come together to Worship in word teaching or whatever, do you guys sing songs of praise first? Does God still want us to sing to him? What should we as the elect do when we come together and meet?

Thanks a bunch, Mike,
M____

Hi M____,
I am always encouraged when someone tells me they are learning from what is on the web site, so thanks for your encouraging words. The Word of God does come alive when we see that it is spirit instead of the words and letters before us.
You refer to David singing and dancing before the Lord in the Old Testament, and you ask:

What are your thoughts on how when we as believers come together to Worship in word teaching or whatever, do you guys sing songs of praise first? Does God still want us to sing to him, what should we as the elect do when we come together and meet?”

We met for many years at my brother’s home until we started live streaming our Bible Studies less than a year ago. We always sang two or three songs before we opened with prayer and began our Bible study. We never recorded the singing portion out of consideration for the audience, but nevertheless, we did “make a joyful noise.”
If there were anyone in my family who had a musical bone in their bodies, we would have singing here at the house, but there is not, and we do not. We sometimes sing at our conferences because there is usually someone who can lead us in singing and play an instrument, but this subject is like all the rest of God’s Word, and we should be singing without ceasing in our hearts.
I am one of those people who loves to sing but who has no voice for it.
As far as David dancing before the Lord, you need to include the fact that he also exposed himself in the process.

2Sa 6:20  Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
2Sa 6:21  And David said unto Michal, [ It was] before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
2Sa 6:22  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
2Sa 6:23  Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.

Far be it from me to do what Michal did in belittling the king of Israel. But every word of these verses…:

2Sa 6:21  And David said unto Michal, [ It was] before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD.
2Sa 6:22  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

… are just as applicable to the physical throne of David as were King David’s words concerning King Saul. Here is why that is so:

Rom 2:28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither [ is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Rom 2:29  But he [ is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [ is that] of the heart, in the spirit, [ and] not in the letter; whose praise [ is] not of men, but of God.

King David was an “outward Jew” and was certainly not “circumcised of heart, in the spirit.” His dying words consisted of a ‘bloody’ hit list for his son Solomon.

1Ki 2:5  Moreover thou knowest also what Joab the son of Zeruiah did to me, [ and] what he did to the two captains of the hosts of Israel, unto Abner the son of Ner, and unto Amasa the son of Jether, whom he slew, and shed the blood of war in peace, and put the blood of war upon his girdle that [ was] about his loins, and in his shoes that [ were] on his feet.
1Ki 2:6  Do therefore according to thy wisdom, and let not his hoar head go down to the grave in peace.
1Ki 2:7  But shew kindness unto the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be of those that eat at thy table: for so they came to me when I fled because of Absalom thy brother.
1Ki 2:8  And, behold, [ thou hast] with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the LORD, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.
1Ki 2:9  Now therefore hold him not guiltless: for thou [ art] a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him; but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood.
1Ki 2:10  So David slept with his fathers, and was buried in the city of David.

David’s dancing and exposing himself is the same thing as Adam and Eve admitting to their own nakedness after eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

2Sa 6:22  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.

There are many things in the Old Testament which are types and shadows of spiritual realities, but were never intended to be examples for us to repeat. Isaiah was told by God to walk naked before his people for three years.

Isa 20:2  At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.
Isa 20:3  And the LORD said, Like as my servant Isaiah hath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;

These things happened and they are written for us and not for them (1Pe 1:12) Our nakedness will be exposed because we are Egypt and Ethiopia.

Heb 4:13  Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

I see singing and praying being done in the New Testament both by Christ and in the churches, but I do not see eating or dancing being done in a New Testament church service. We do both in spirit just as we are circumcised in spirit.

Mat 26:30  And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Col 3:16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Obviously, singing, just like prayer, is an act of worship which we ought not cease to do. So the emphasis is not on the church service as much as it is on “spiritual songs in your heart” as mentioned in both Eph 5:19 and Col 3:16.
As in all things, God knows our hearts, and it is in our hearts that true worship takes place. By all means utilize the gifts of those God has placed in your midst, but do so to the edifying of Christ the body, and not to the edifying of the person with the gift.
I hope this is of some help to you.
Your brother in Christ,

Mike>