3 Reasons the Psalms Encourage Us
by Paul Tautges | January 16, 2019 2:23 am
This morning, while meditating on Psalm 1, I read the
following inset in the Beyond
Suffering Study Bible. The title of the inset is “Suffering and Disability
Themes,” but I think these insights are encouraging reasons to spend time in
the book of Psalms.
Joy is good medicine.
Though many have tried, no one has adequately described the awesome power of
joyful praise and worship. The transformation brought by uplifting songs in the
face of life-shattering struggles is wonderful. Praise can not only change one’s
perspective but also heal the heart, body, and soul. In times of
discouragement, joyful praise can be our greatest hope (43:5).
God determines the
timing of his intervention. We are not spared the troubles of life simply
because we are God’s children. The psalms wrestle candidly and honestly with
these realities. While we know that God rescues his children, his compassion
and mercy do not compel him to intervene immediately. Yet, he is always on
time. Even as we ask, “O Lord, how long will you forget me?” (13:1), we can
have faith in our heavenly Father, who loves us too perfectly to rescue us too
soon.
We can surrender our
questions to God. As human beings, we sometimes feel we have the right to
ask God a lot of questions—Who? (14:7); What? (116:12); Where? (39:7); Why? (2;
22). Thankfully, God knows us and accepts our questions as part of our worship
when we ask them with hearts fully surrendered to his will.
Related
Source URL: https://counselingoneanother.com/2019/01/16/3-reasons-the-psalms-encourage-us/
3 Reasons the Psalms Encourage Us
by Paul Tautges | January 16, 2019 2:23 am
This morning, while meditating on Psalm 1, I read the following inset in the Beyond Suffering Study Bible. The title of the inset is “Suffering and Disability Themes,” but I think these insights are encouraging reasons to spend time in the book of Psalms.
Joy is good medicine. Though many have tried, no one has adequately described the awesome power of joyful praise and worship. The transformation brought by uplifting songs in the face of life-shattering struggles is wonderful. Praise can not only change one’s perspective but also heal the heart, body, and soul. In times of discouragement, joyful praise can be our greatest hope (43:5).
God determines the timing of his intervention. We are not spared the troubles of life simply because we are God’s children. The psalms wrestle candidly and honestly with these realities. While we know that God rescues his children, his compassion and mercy do not compel him to intervene immediately. Yet, he is always on time. Even as we ask, “O Lord, how long will you forget me?” (13:1), we can have faith in our heavenly Father, who loves us too perfectly to rescue us too soon.
We can surrender our questions to God. As human beings, we sometimes feel we have the right to ask God a lot of questions—Who? (14:7); What? (116:12); Where? (39:7); Why? (2; 22). Thankfully, God knows us and accepts our questions as part of our worship when we ask them with hearts fully surrendered to his will.
Related
Source URL: https://counselingoneanother.com/2019/01/16/3-reasons-the-psalms-encourage-us/