Praise In The Midst of Trials

“I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness;
and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most High.”
Psalm 7:17

Too often when we encounter trials or difficulties and attacks as believers, and we’re probably too quick to moan and groan: ‘Oh, Lord, why is this happening to me?’ ‘Lord, where are You?’

Did the Lord change locations?  No.  

Did we change our focus?  Probably so.

In Psalm 7 David was seeking deliverance from evil attacks, yet he knew where to go for deliverance, wisdom, and help. Even in the midst of what he was experiencing, David praised the Lord, and he praised the Lord according to God’s righteousness. He didn’t praise and thank him for the trouble. He didn’t praise the Lord for his own righteousness and self-efforts. He praised and thanked the Lord for God’s righteousness because he knew it wasn’t his righteousness that brought about anything. It is God’s righteousness every time.

Today it’s not your righteousness that delivers you. If our deliverance depends on our abilities, then we’re in trouble. It is God’s righteousness through the finished work of Jesus that enables you to stand strong in Him and defeat the enemy of your soul.

So when praise comes from a heart that is grateful for all that Jesus has done, for the manifold blessings of God in your life, that’s when the weapon of praise will bring down strongholds. Keep lifting up God’s righteousness – in Jesus.

Don’t focus on the trials and difficulties. Focus on Jesus, your righteousness, your strength, your joy and peace, your everything. As you do, you’ll join with David’s praise of who your God is.