CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THE TRIALS?

READ PSALM 18

WE NEED TO KEEP IN MIND GOD’S ETERNAL PURPOSES

PSALM 18:49,50

For this I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations,

and sing to your name.

Great salvation he brings to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his offspring forever.

David ends this psalm with this wonderful couple of verses. He begins with “For this cause”. We have reviewed the cause in the previous verses.

God is the one who gives David strength; He is his fortress, rock, and deliverer. He is his salvation, his stronghold, shield, and his refuge.

God listens to him. He is powerful without any rivals. His word is without limits. He is the One who rescues him. God is his support and chooses to delight in his creature. He deals with him in righteousness. God revealed his statutes so that David could walk in them.

God showed Himself to be merciful, blameless, and pure. He was David’s light in dark moments. From God he received his strength. His Word was trustworthy. God was like no one else. He had the right answer and solution for every event. He was righteous in the way He dealt with David’s enemies.

His God is alive! He is faithful, through and through!

This is why David was praising his God.

Are you praising God at this time: for your health, your job or lack of one, for your spouse and children and parents, for your friends, for your pastor, for your enemies, for your circumstances, for what you have and do not have? Is your God the same One David knew? 

David’s praise was evident and sincere. David sang to the name of God. God’s name describes His character, His qualities, His works. In other words, David was satisfied with who God is and what He was doing. God has shown Himself worthy and faithful to David and to his offspring forever.

Romans 15:8-13

For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,

and sing to your name.”

And again it is said,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.”

And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and let all the peoples extol him.”

And again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse will come,

even he who arises to rule the Gentiles;

in him will the Gentiles hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

God’s plan was and is that His children will glorify Him. His work deserves our praise. Have we become so self-focused that we have lost sight of the work that God is doing?

The Father chose us so that we would praise Him.

Ephesians 1:6

to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

The Son died for us so that we would praise the Father.

Ephesians 1:12

so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.

The Holy Spirit sealed us so that the Father would be praised eternally.

Ephesians 1:13-14

In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Has God done this for you and me? Is our life reflecting these truths?

If we are not having this kind of response, then we are allowing our thoughts to take us in the wrong direction.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Because of Christ, our praise should be loud and clear!

Hebrews 13:15

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

The Apostle Peter brings us to a culmination.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

God is testing our faith. The way we respond exposes whether or not our faith is genuine. It is a grace of God to help us evaluate if we are truly believers and we truly love Him.

Trials hurt; God does not hide this. But trials last only a short time, compared to eternity. Our responses to trials show us and others what we truly value.

Trials are not something to avoid or to complain about; they are the meticulous work of God on us for our good and His glory. God is worthy of our praise forever!