Psalm 9 Continued…
In vs 2, David says, “I will be glad and rejoice in you!” This is another way we can praise God for being Great. Not just by telling others what He’s done for us, with our mouth, but by living a joyful life, with our actions, showing others just how good God is.
Remember, one of the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians is joy, and we have that joy because we belong to God. So even if God hasn’t sent any special blessings to us recently, we can still be glad and rejoice because we belong to God and being part of His family is one of the greatest blessings He’s bestowed upon us.
So, when the Apostle John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, he was still glad and rejoicing in God because he knew he belonged to Christ’s family, and his suffering was not in vain. The same goes with the Apostle Paul, continuing to serve God, even while in chains and a jail cell.
The next part of vs 2 says, “I will sing praise to Your name, Oh Most High!” This is another way we can praise God for being Great! When a person is down in the dumps, struggling, they don’t feel much like singing. But as Christians, whether we’re going through trials or celebrating a blessing from God, we can sing because God, the Most High is with us, and won’t leave us.
Sometimes we’ll be having a tough time and won’t have the words to sing, so we turn on Christian music, and through the words of each song, we silently sing praise to God Almighty as we pour out our hearts to Him in prayer.
In Acts 16, Paul and the other believers who were imprisoned were singing hymns and praying to God, even though they were locked in prison cells. Suddenly, all the cell doors were opened, and the Jailer thought they’d all escaped. At that point, the jailer thought they’d all escaped, so he was getting ready to kill himself, when Paul called out, “Don’t do it! We’re all still here.”
Through the example of Paul and the others, singing praise to God, even in jail, and staying put when the cells were open, they were able to lead the jailer to Christ.
Whether you know it or not, your praise of God, even in the hard times, can be a profound witness to a lost and dark world. This world may seem like suicide is a viable option for those without Christ, but our praise can bring light into even the darkest places. And that light can spring forth great hope in men’s hearts!
PRAY
With my whole heart I praise you, God. You are my Peace, my Protector, and the High Priest who became my Redeemer and Sacrifice forever.