Psalm 27:6 (Give Thanks)
“And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord” (Psalm 27:6).
When the Lord rescues us from the hands of our oppressors, how should we respond? Logic would say, “Give thanks!” but is that our typical reaction? In other words, are we quick to move on from our calamity, or do we allow the Lord ample time to unveil the silver-lining of His grace long after our trials are over?
If we are honest, we invest incredible energy crying out to the Lord in prayer for reprieve. Granted, none of us want our faith tested repeatedly, but considering them with joy seems unreasonable, all thing considered. We can endure trials if we know greater blessing awaits on the other side of the horizon, but surviving those seasons can be difficult.
In the Lord’s economy, trials create a unique environment for sanctification. We do not necessarily recognize them that way in the moment, but hindsight perspective reveals their purpose to conform us into the image of Christ.
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4).
Where we often miss the boat is not necessarily when pain and suffering are at their greatest intensity, but after-the-fact when we have time to consider the sovereignty of God’s handiwork. It certainly begs the question: do we invest as much time in prayer before our needs are met or after our prayers are answered?
LOOK UP:
Trials have a way of testing the depth and breadth of our faith. When walls are closing in and we are struggling to justify various calamities impacting us, our trust in the Lord (or lack thereof) is put on full display. However, in those moments God softly whispers, “Look up!” so we can His intricate handiwork.
Oftentimes, it is easy to wear a mask in church and act as if everything is okay when clearly it’s not. We do it all the time because we are scared of demonstrating vulnerability and humbling ourselves. We fear being judged or looked down upon as unable to handle our own business. In turn, we stuff our emotions and pull ourselves up by our bootstraps so as not to appear inept, weak, or needy.
Unfortunately, when we choose pride over humility, we miss out on golden opportunities for the body of Christ to help carry our burdens. Rather than lean on the church for physical, emotional, and spiritual support, we keep our heads down and shut out the love of Christ. Why? Are we too proud to admit we need help or too scared of what might happen if we expose our insecurities and let people in?
“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10).
PERSONAL TESTIMONY:
Just recently, our family had an emergency health crisis. My oldest daughter (who lived by herself at the time) grew terribly ill, and I had to drop everything and immediately drive 3-hours and get her to a hospital. I did not know what to expect when I arrived at her apartment. All I knew was that her life was in grave danger with a serious bacterial infection and she was all alone.
My prayer was simple in that moment: “God, strengthen and heal my daughter, but give me grace to get there as quickly as I can.” I also sent a note to the men’s group I shepherd weekly and asked for immediate prayer and intercession because I did not want to face this trial alone. It was an opportunity to humble myself and let others in on a sensitive issue, and the body of Christ rallied around us in a powerful way because they are our faith family.
“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14).
We have spent ample time reflecting upon our 6-days in the hospital and what transpired during that period of time. We witnessed the power of prayer as friends and family across the country poured in their love and support. Truly, all we had to do was “Look Up!” to see the silver-lining of God’s grace and mercy amid our trials, and we are incredibly thankful for that opportunity to be ministered to in our hour of need.
SACRIFICE OF PRAISE:
Psalm 27:6 reminds us that when we lift our heads from the ashes of despair, God reveals the beauty of the horizon set before us. No longer are we swept away by rolling storm clouds of fear, doubt, and worry. Instead, the Lord gives us a bird’s eye view of His dominion over all the earth which includes the trials we face daily.
Praise is powerful. It positions the trajectory of our hearts toward heaven and fixes our eyes upon Jesus Christ. No matter how bleak the future may seem, praise overpowers our propensity to throw in the towel and give up. It emboldens our faith and gives us the assurance we need that God sits upon the eternal throne and all creation is subject to His power and dominion.
“The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers” (Psalm 24:1–2).
Keep in mind, when David said, “I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord,” he was doing so from a perspective of full assurance in the Lord’s deliverance. There was no doubt in his mind. Victory in the Lord was guaranteed, so there was no reason to doubt what the future might bring.
What is interesting to note is that David did not say he would offer sacrifices in his palace where it would be convenient for him to worship. Rather, he expressed his intention to offer praise in the house of the Lord for all to see. His desire was to worship God publicly so that the name of the Lord would be glorified for all to see, and that is a great reminder for us to do likewise in our houses of worship as well.
BOTTOM-LINE:
Let us consider the following questions:
How often do we sit idle, even at church, and never publicly praise the Lord for what He has done in our lives?
Are we obedient to the Spirit’s prompting to lean on the body of Christ for help, or are we too afraid of letting people know what is truly going on in our lives?
Are we willing to humble ourselves and allow others to pray over us in our hour of need, or will we cower in fear and act like everything is fine?
“Let us test and examine our ways and return to the LORD! Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven” (Lamentations 3:40–41).
Conversely, are we willing stain the carpet of our church pews with tears of thanksgiving as much as we would with our cries for help? Will we count our trials as joy and actually thank God for our pain and suffering? Perhaps more pointedly, are we willing to “Look Up!” and know we are safe and secure in the arms of our Savior?
In all ways, our praise and worship to God must be as passionate, if not more, than our desperation. Opportunities abound to step back and remind ourselves daily of what the Lord has done to save us from calamity. However, we often focus our minds on what we desire from God rather than remaining content with His provision for our needs. Why?
“For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
What we need is mountaintop perspective to count our blessings, and that is only made possible if we surrender our hearts to the Lord and submit to His sovereign authority. Only then will we genuinely appreciate the silver-lining He intricately weaves throughout the tapestry of our lives.
Therefore, may the melody of our worship overpower the forces of darkness which seek to distinguish the Spirit’s fire burning in our hearts, and may we learn to be even more zealous to praise the Lord long after our needs are met so that our hearts are strengthened for the next trial which will inevitably come our way.
“I love you, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:1–3).
