"Fear God, Love God, Serve God": "Mothering Lilts"

"Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David

would take his harp and play. Then relief would

come to Saul; he would feel better, and the

evil spirit would leave him."

(I Samuel 16:23)

David playing his harp for Saul

Where did King David get his impetus to brilliantly play the harp and make melodies to Almighty God? Did his mother, Nitzevet, teach him at an early age, or was he just gifted, or both? Not much is known about David's mother, but if she was like most all mothers, she sang lullabies and sweet songs to her son, and maybe her love for music transferred to the soul of David. Perhaps he was raised hearing delicate sounds from her graceful fingers dancing the harp strings in the midnight hours, in a symphony of "Mothering Lilts."

Whatever we have become in spiritual prowess of Word and song, we can always trace it back to a mighty mother or a grandmother, or even a great grandmother. The gentle strong hands that rock the cradle leave their beautiful melodic lilts in the spirits and hearts of their young, and King David was no exception to a mother's song. David grew to be a very talented young man, keeping the sheep in the lonely grassy pasture, staring at the heavens and thinking about His God, singing his amazing love psalms, and strumming his harp, remembering the warm cover in his bed, as his mother tickled the strings and sang him to sleep as a little tiny tot.

The strong name of David, "dawveed," means beloved in Hebrew, and 'beloved' he was. He was very handsome, even as a young lad, had red hair, ruddy; he was relatively short in stature; he was a shepherd, and adept with the flute and the harp. David served King Saul from time to time as his musician and armor bearer. Saul did not know that one day this young harpist would take his place as king. If he had known it at that time, he would have killed him, as he tried to do many times later. Upon Saul's death, David was anointed king of Judah at the age of 30. Later, David was anointed king over all of Israel. David sang, played his instruments and danced before the Lord with all his might; it's no wonder the Holy One of Israel loved him so. Where did David learn to worship? Did his mother make up love songs to the Lord in the fleeting moments of the morning? Was this where he learned to phrase his psalms? Did the mother of David birth the soul of David?

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Deborah was a prophetess and a judge; she was called "a mother in Israel." She lived in the hills north of Jerusalem and was aware of the suffering and hardship of her people who lived in Galilee. She saw the need of Israel, knew of the promises of God, and she made herself available to God.

"Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappodoth, was judging

Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah

between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the

people of Israel came up to her for judgment."

(Judges 4:4-5)

Deborah, the Prophetess

Don't ever underestimate "mother's" of any kind, shape, or form. Whether it's a mother of children, or a mother of a Nation; those who give birth have the ability to create, and they are close to God, especially so when they are Godly holy women. Deborah sought God for help to rescue her countrymen from the harsh oppression of Jabin of Hazor. So, she sent for Barak and said to him:

'The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you, "Go gather your men at Mount Tabor,

taking ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. And I

will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river

Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand."

Barak said to her, 'If you will go with me I will go; but if you will not go with

me, I will not go.' And she said, 'I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road

on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will deliver

Sisera into the hand of a woman.'

Barak and ten thousand men went up, and Deborah went with them. And Deborah said to Barak, `Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?' The rest of the story is the battle was won, and Deborah sang a song. Beware, for not all "mother's songs" are lullabies! Some mother's songs move mountains; they are prophetic, warlike, victorious, and profound. The lilts of Deborah are found in Judges, Chapter 5. Sing, O Deborah; sing your song; lead the battle, sing loud and strong as the "mother of Israel." This is the end of Deborah's song, "So perish all thine enemies, O LORD! But thy friends be like the sun as he rises in his might." And the land had rest for forty years," (Judges 4-5).

"What's this all about?" you ask. Well, it's about the song behind the man, the voice that rests in the soul of a warrior, the spirit of courage nurtured from a crib, the chords of wisdom from the ones who give birth, the fight song planted in the heart of a psalmist, and the strength sung in keys of power in "Mothering Lilts."