“I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.”
– Psalm 35:18
It is a great blessing when our relationship with God grows to the point where we can praise and thank Him even in the midst of a terrible situation. In this Psalm, David laments deep personal betrayal by those he knew well and had previously prayed for diligently. Nonetheless, despite ongoing attacks, he praises God and gives thanks.
That isn’t because David is oblivious, naive, or in denial. Reading the surrounding verses, you see that he clearly isn’t. In the previous verse, David questions how long God will leave him in his miserable state. However David’s love for God has matured beyond praising God only for what He does to help him. David’s love and praise for God isn’t situational or transactional. Rather, his love is grounded in who God is: Creator, sustainer, all-powerful, all-wise, all-good, merciful, gracious, patient, loving, faithful, righteous, just, holy, and the list goes on.
This is an excellent model for us, teaching us how to love and praise God even when we’re miserable with no relief in sight. For many, the weeks ahead will be very difficult: physically, socially, emotionally, financially. Even as we pray diligently to pass through this season of coronavirus unscathed, may we deepen in our love and praise for God and experience the profound richness of His love and presence amidst suffering!