Write It Down! (Praise Is Appropriate)

I cry out to the LORD; I plead for the LORD’s mercy. I pour out my complaints before him and tell him all my troubles. When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Wherever I go, my enemies have set traps for me. I look for someone to come and help me, but no one gives me a passing thought! No one will help me; no one cares a bit what happens to me. Then I pray to you, O LORD. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life. Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my  persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Bring me out of prison so I can thank you. The godly will crowd around me, for you are good to me.” [Psalm 142] 

This song (Psalm) was not written later by David but actually while in the cave of Adullam hiding for his life. Most of the verbs are in present tense. So...

Praise is appropriate in our worst situations.

Let's clarify this... While praise might indeed be appropriate in the midst of our worst trials, it should be considered that David actually took the contemplative time to write a song of praise. His was more than just mindless worship - David thought about it.

What is this saying to us? Well... it just might be saying (through David's example as "a man after God's own heart"), that instead of running our mouths or jumping into action in our most difficult times, we should "chill" long enough to write down some thoughts... and those thoughts should be praise of our God.

I know most people will say, "I am not a writer and certainly no songwriter!" But David wasn't either ...until he was! Most of us fail to understand that our response to God is OUR RESPONSE TO GOD; it's not about being published as a writer or lyricist of songs, but about responding to God in some contemplative and meaningful way! One doesn't have to be William Shakespeare or Mark Twain to sincerely respond to God in the contemplation of writing!

Father, I am inspired by David's example today to not only praise You in my trials, but to write it down! May these words today inspire others to the same. So be it.