‘All of my life, in every season, you are still God, I have a reason to sing; I have a reason to worship.’ 

Those words were penned by Jill McCloghry and recorded in Hillsong’s Desert Song just after losing a day old baby:

Praising God doesn’t come easily when life is hard, but the lament psalms set out praise as our default in every circumstance.

‘Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. Make music to him… sing to him a new song; play skilfully and shout for joy.’ (v.1-3)

Why should we ‘sing joyfully’ to the Lord?

The psalmist says it is ‘fitting for the upright to praise Him’ and that His word is ‘right and true’ (v.1&4). I think if we’re going to be honest with God, there are times when it’s important to express our sorrow. But having done that, it seems that choosing to praise God helps us to remember who He is and who we are; we might not feel righteous but in Christ we are (cf Isaiah 61:10). This world is not as it should be; but He is the One who loves ‘righteousness and justice’ and fills the earth with His unfailing love. Nothing is beyond His redemptive power, which means no situation is ever devoid of hope. Declaring these truths aloud is powerful.

This sense of hope is strengthened by a common thread running through the psalm: the appeal to God's unfailing love (hesed in Hebrew). For example:

The term hesed also means grace, mercy and goodness (See Vine). It’s the same word as that used in Hosea when God addresses His bride Israel, saying 
‘I shall betroth you to myself forever… I will betroth you in love and compassion’ 
(Hosea 2:19). It’s a covenant relationship that can never be broken and, according to Michael Hunt, is not static but must be returned. The appeal is therefore a longing to actively engage with His love, grace, mercy and goodness.

The psalmist brings his circumstances to God, saying:

The decision is made to trust not in money, success or reputation, but in God. A strong parallel can be found in Psalm 52: 

‘But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever. For what you have done I will always praise you…And I will hope in your name, for your name is good’ (v.8-9).

According to the psalms, our only hope is to trust in the Lord.

What has God done in your life that you can praise Him for? 

What situation are you facing in which you need to ‘wait in hope for the Lord’ and how can you make sure you trust Him in it?  

Resources:  Agape Bible Study by Michael Hunt; Vine Expository Dictionary