The irony overwhelmed me Sunday after Sunday. I was experiencing a dark season of depression. Meanwhile, the church I was attending played The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s Psalm 34 nearly every time we gathered for worship. It’s a powerful song, based out of a beautiful psalm. But at the time, it made my heart ache.
O taste and see that the Lord is good!
I wanted to scream, “But why does this taste so bitter? I’m literally choking on any food I try to eat! I have a perpetual bad taste in my mouth.”
Magnify the Lord with me! Let us exalt his name together!
“I can barely get out of bed because I haven’t slept in days. How can I exalt anything?”
I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
“But I’m seeking and He hasn’t answered! And my fears are bigger than ever.”
Why did David say he would bless the Lord at all times, even when he was running for his life? Even when he was so hard pressed that he resorted to acting like a drooling lunatic rather than face his enemies? How could he say that truthfully? How can we bless the Lord when we are facing our biggest fears and our darkest hours?
Confidence in God’s Ability
Some of the situations we face are humanly impossible to resolve: broken marriages, terminal diseases, heartbreaking miscarriages, physical abuse. When things are clearly out of our control, we must look to God’s promises about Himself and His record of deliverance for His people.
We can consider how God providentially guarded Nehemiah, who refused an escort through the wilderness because of his faith in God’s provision. God miraculously delivered Daniel and his friends who were willing to face death under an oppressive regime rather than disobey God’s commands. God saw and protected Hagar, a woman of small account by her culture’s standards. Aside from the stories recorded in the Bible, we can also bless the Lord because of the testimonies of followers of Jesus through the centuries and in our own congregations. He deserves praise for working both providentially and supernaturally over and over again on behalf of His saints…even if we have not seen it in our individual situations yet.
Confidence in Spiritual Triumph
We can bless the Lord at all times because no matter what happens to us physically (or mentally or emotionally), those who are in Christ Jesus will never be put to shame spiritually. We can seek and pray for the physical, mental, or emotional deliverance (and yes, I think it is right to seek healing and act to protect ourselves when necessary), but even if we do not receive it, our bigger battle against death and sin has already been fought and won by Jesus Himself. Ultimately, a victory is coming because Jesus rose from the dead. This is why those who look to Him are radiant and their faces shall never be ashamed (v. 5).
The Unexpected Reversal
Yes, we should bless the Lord in hard times, but how? I remember knowing I should, but feeling totally drained of any desire to worship, any motivation to praise. I was just needy. I needed hope, needed attention, needed affirmation. I needed unconditional love.
There is good news. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit (v. 18). God’s deliverance is not grudging or out of emotionless duty to his creation. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted (Matthew 5:4).” Blessed are the meek, the poor in spirit, the persecuted…When we are in situations when it feels hardest to bless God, God Himself actually blesses us. Instead of demanding praise, He offers hope. Instead of judgment, He offers healing. Without the Spirit of God, we would never be able to muster up enough will power or positive thinking to praise God at our lowest.
So take comfort. Jesus does not need your blessing, but when you need Him, He blesses you.
When you taste that, you will see that He alone is good.
Photo by Marc-Olivier Jodoin on Unsplash
Welcome To The Carriage House 