So often I find myself jumping into the notion that true worship must be festive, upbeat and just plain happy. Certainly this can be the prevalent notion in so much of our corporate worship. The reasons for this are obvious; Jesus has triumphed over sin, suffering, and death – victory is ours through him, we have so much to rejoice about, so much to celebrate. God has put righteousness in our hearts and, he has saved us and he is faithful (v10).
However, I am refreshed by this psalm. It reveals to me again that sentiments of sadness and feelings of discouragement do indeed have a place in worship. Thank goodness my heart cries because I know both you and I have experienced days when all is darkness (For troubles without number surround me and my troubles have overtaken me and I cannot see – v12)
If we do not worship in the valleys, we will not be praying at all times. I know for sure that I have had to learn a prayer of worship when I have very definitely been down in the valleys at various times in my life. When all is not well it is not a time to dwell on the difficulty alone but to find a prayer and a cry of worship right in the middle of that situation.
“Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer” (v17)
This is a psalm ending on an unresolved note (O my God do not delay). God wants us to call to him and to ask Him to intervene in our lives, for in these moments of despondency and uncertainty God is still worthy of our worship. “Hope that is seen is not hope, who hopes for what he already has?” says Paul in Romans 8:24, our prayer of hope must strive to be the loudest of the voices that would seek to rise from our hearts even when we find ourselves in a less than festive season of life. Our honest voice before God can be our prayer as well as our struggle; it can be our worship as well as our pain. On the mountain top or in the valley we can declare, “You have set my feet upon a rock”.
God would you help us to be truly real and present with you in our worship, to allow the feelings of our heart to engage with the feelings of yours. God show us how to bring the whole of our lives, whatever the circumstance to you as an act of worship because we love you and you love us.
No comments:
Post a Comment