This week’s Song To Live By is Psalm 30

Andy writes:

In our moments of victory, it’s good for the soul, and it honours the Lord, to remember how he has brought us through the darker chapters of our lives. How he’s with us, not just on our best days, but also on our worst.

David wrote this song to be sung at the dedication of a new building; maybe the temple, or perhaps a glorious royal palace. A day of celebration, perhaps even an opportunity to gloat. It would have been easy to write a sugar sweet sing-a-long song of salvation. Get the crowd going; sing like the sun is always shining, and there are never any shadows.

But worship that honours the Lord doesn’t pretend that everything’s always been ok. These songs to live by don’t portray that progress is always up and to the right. Even in moments of victory they look in the rear view mirror and are honest about attacks against us; the deadly disasters; the times when we felt the dismay of the Lord or felt like everything was ruined. They go there, into lament and loss, they don’t shy away from it.

These songs to live by celebrate, not that our lives have felt like one long victory parade, but that the Lord has been with us every single step of the way. He was there when we were healed; and he was there when we were hurting. He was there when we were low, and he was there in our lifting up. He was faithful in our frustration; faithful through our fights; and faithful when our fortunes were restored.

This Psalm reminds us to remember. The Lord is always with us; he can always be trusted. He’s the one who turns weeping into rejoicing; the one who transforms dismay into dancing. He’s the one we’ll be praising forever.

A Prayer

Lord, thank you that you are always with me. All my life you have been faithful. Thank you that through the cross and resurrection of Jesus you are transforming my dismay into dancing, and my weeping into worship. My heart must sing your praise. I will praise you Lord forever.