Psalm 138:1-8 – Praising in Times of Trouble

Do you remember when you first got saved? Remember the pure joy and bliss? It was like wearing rose-tinted glasses. You saw the same people and places, but everything was different. Life was good. Everything was celebrated. Then suddenly it came. It was as if somebody smashed your new glasses with a 10 pound hammer. You faced your first adversity. Maybe this was criticism by your parents or teachers. Maybe it was the loss of a job and financial trouble. For me, trouble came in the form of rejection by some of my closest friends. It is as if the happiness and joy flee and are replaced by concern and fear.

David, the psalmist and king, acknowledges troubled times. He dealt with it a good part of his life. From battling Goliath the giant to running away from King Saul’s army, David was well aware that following God can be tough. But he also got to see the hand of God deliver him time and time again. So he learned to give God praise even in the midst of trouble.

We are not immune to trials. In fact, we often have more trouble once we become saved. The reason is that before we were under the dominion of Satan, the ruler of this world. Now we are under the kingdom of God. The devil would like nothing more than to confuse and distract God’s people from fulfilling the purposes in their lives. Although we must be prepared, we don’t have to be worried. God is greater than the enemy, and promises to sustain us. He will stretch out His hand against the anger of our enemies. We can praise him even in the middle of our troubles, knowing that at the other end of our test is a testimony!

Matthew White