In a recent session with my field mentor, our conversation moved to the subject of facing challenging situations—particularly those times when one is the victim of false accusations or harsh and unfair treatment. While sharing his own experiences, my mentor made a statement that caught my attention. He said something like, “I chose to respond with worship.”
He went on to describe how he directed his thoughts toward God, asking for forgiveness and cleansing from the “bad” things said of him that were probably true, and praising and thanking God for his guidance so that the situation will develop him to become a better follower of Christ.
Pondering this insightful testimony, I was reminded of a song that was popular in my younger years: “Praise the Lord. He can work through those who praise him. Praise the Lord. For our God inhabits praise.” The lyrics give the picture of one who chooses to trust the Lord in times of testing and finds the power to overcome temptation and evil through the worship of God.
The last phrase from the quotation above is inspired by the King James Version of Psalm 22.3: “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” The New Jerusalem Bible translates it, “who make your home in the praises of Israel.” The idiom emphasizes that the Lord is the object of Israel’s worship. But it somehow also creates a sense that the powerful presence of the Lord is especially experienced when his people consciously and intentionally turn to him, not just for help but also in humble worship. In other words, the Lord’s presence in his people’s praises empowers them to do his will in the face of the challenges to their faith.
It is perhaps worthy to note also that other translations use the word “enthrone” instead of “inhabit.” For example, “But You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” (HCSB). For me, this heightens a sense of the exaltedness of God as his people praise him. In praising God, his people acknowledge that he is the the almighty One who cannot be overpowered by any challenge to his authority. He remains the Lord over all.
The whole of Psalm 22 is about a person facing an overwhelmingly difficult situation, even to the point of feeling as though God had abandoned him (Psalm 22.1). Yet he chooses to acknowledge God and to trust him. In the end, the one who responds in worship in the face of trying circumstances will be the one whom the Lord uses to declare his Name and his righteous acts to others (Psalm 22.22-31).
May we learn to respond to life’s challenges in worship.
—Keith Y. Jainga