April 13 | Bible in a Year: 1 Samuel 22–24; Luke 12:1–31

Tears of Praise

Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people; praise his holy name. Psalm 30:4

READ Psalm 30

Years ago, I cared for my mum as she was in hospice. I thanked God for the four months He allowed me to serve as her carer and asked Him to help me through the grieving process. I often struggled to praise God as I wrestled with my mixed emotions. But as my mum breathed her last breath and I wept uncontrollably, I whispered, “Hallelujah.” I felt guilty for praising God in that devastating moment until, years later, I took a closer look at Psalm 30.

In David’s song “for the dedication of the temple,” he worshipped God for His faithfulness and mercy (vv. 1–3). He encouraged others to “praise his holy name” (v. 4). Then David explored how intimately God entwines hardship and hope (v. 5). He acknowledged times of grief and rejoicing, times of feeling secure and being dismayed (vv. 6–7). His cries for help remained laced with confidence in God ( vv. 7–10). The echo of his praise wove through David’s moments of wailing and dancing, grief and joy (v. 11). As if acknowledging the mystery and complexity of enduring affliction and anticipating God’s faithfulness, David proclaimed his endless devotion to God (v. 12).

Like David, we can sing, “Lord my God, I will praise you forever” (v. 12). Whether we’re happy or hurting, God can help us declare our trust in Him and lead us to worship Him with joyful shouts and tears of praise.

By Xochitl Dixon

How has God helped you trust Him with your mixed emotions? How can you praise Him while still processing hardship?

Dear God, please help me trust You and praise You as I process my emotions.

SCRIPTURE INSIGHT

The book of Psalms is one of the most cited books of the Old Testament in the New Testament. Jesus Himself told His disciples that all Scripture anticipated His coming and specifically mentioned the book of Psalms (Luke 24:27, 44–45). Jesus’ words remind us that when we read the Psalms, we should always reflect on how a psalm might point to Him. After all, He’s the Good Shepherd (John 10:11; Psalm 23); He’s “God’s Anointed One” (Psalm 2:2; Hebrew for Messiah ); He’s our divine warrior who defeats the spiritual powers by His death and resurrection (Ephesians 4:8, citing Psalm 68:18).