Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. —Psalm 42:11
The book of Psalms is a wonderful part of the Bible to go to in times of trouble and sorrow because we see David’s heart. However, it hit me recently that we tend to say things like, “I’m praying through the Psalms.” While that’s a beautiful thing to do, David didn’t pray through the Psalms; he was writing them. He was living them. He was pouring his heart out to the Lord—and that’s what God loved about him.
David was honest; he was raw. He told us when he felt angry or depressed. Sometimes he didn’t understand why he felt that way and other times he knew the reason. But at the end, David could say, “Yet I will praise You.”
When you read the Psalms, ask God to make you like David, the man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). In the midst of hardship, depression, and sadness, David trusted the Lord and took Him at His word.
Make it Personal
Pour out your heart to the Lord about whatever difficulty you’re dealing with today. Then end your prayer with a time of praise to Him.