“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.” – Psalm 22: 3
I finished praying, and this scripture says, “When Solomon made an end of praying, fire came down from heaven” — not just Elijah, who called down fire from heaven — “and consumed the burnt offering” (the fruit of our lips; the sacrifice of our hearts). Then the glory of YAH filled the house (us).
The priests could not enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house. When Yahweh indwells us, His glory is seen in us (2 Chronicles 7:2). Then people can see it, just as the children of Israel saw how the fire came down (like the Day of Pentecost), and they bowed their faces to the ground upon the pavement and WORSHIPPED, PRAISING GOD, saying that the Lord is good and His MERCY endures forever (2 Chronicles 7:3).
True worship is offering our bodies as a willing sacrifice, but praise is where God inhabits. He uses the fruit of our lips, thanksgiving, and our hearts — from where we obey God. That is how the glory of God fills us: people, the church, the children of Israel — similar to the Day of Pentecost. Worship comes where praise ends (2 Chronicles 7:3).
The orchestrator of praise was King David, and his son Solomon used it to build the first house for the Lord. Solomon hallowed the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord. The inner court is likened to where the Spirit of the Lord dwells, while the middle court is likened to where the soul dwells. This court segment is where Jeremiah was moved so he could get bread from the house of Jonathan, where he would have died if he had stayed there.
Thus, the sacrifice of praise, giving, and self (dying to self bodily) is all delivered to the house of God for His glory. The Levites, who had no inheritance and worked in tandem with the priests, had instruments of music of Yahweh. King David was both a priest and a king, like Christ. He understood praise, and he understood worship, which is why the ecclesia exists. So praise precedes worship.
King David understood that mercy and gladness with thanksgiving opened the door of his house. Thus, he says, “Praise Yah, because His mercy endures forever.” The priests and Levites understood worship because it demands consecration, bodily sacrifice, and holiness.