It’s Never Too Early to Praise

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

12 Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.

Psalm 5:11-12

One word that I’ve always tried to use often is “thank you.” It’s part of my vocabulary whenever I am blessed by a kind word, gesture, act. It’s what I say after something has been said or done. However, don’t you think it would be strange to say that prior to the fulfillment of something deserving gratitude? Not according to this Psalm and King David.

Psalm 5 reminds us to “be glad” and to “rejoice.” These are very natural expressions of gratitude, a way to tell God thank you for His deliverance. There are many times I forget to thank God for the ways that He has protected me. There are many times I fail to recognize God’s divine intervention in a situation. So I appreciate David’s reminder here to rejoice for what I’ve just seen God do for me.

Yet, this situation is not what David is talking about here. For context, in this Psalm David is in deep distress and trouble. Earlier in the chapter, he reminds God that the evil doers are thriving, the multitudes are blood thirsty, and that there has been no judgement executed against their wrongdoing:

Declare them guilty, O God!

Let their intrigues be their downfall.

Banish them for their many sins,

for they have rebelled against you. (verse 10)

David’s reminder to us to praise God and rejoice is not because the evil have fallen and they’ve been banished. Rather, David’s reminder to give God praise is because of who He is and His promises. God does promise us that

The arrogant cannot stand

in your presence.

You hate all who do wrong;

you destroy those who tell lies. (verses 5-6)

It seems like lately so many us have been discouraged by seeing the wicked flourish, the suffering because of the wicked, the silencing of our voices, and the constant deluge of lies and hopelessness today. If we look to David, we know that praise isn’t triggered because of what God has already done. We praise God because we are standing on His promises, and He will do what He’s promised. My encouragement in this season, that our eyes are opened to who God is and what His promises are. That alone is worthy of our praise. My prayer is also that God would continue to shape our vision, beyond what we see with our eyes and beyond what we see on the news, and that we begin living with the fulfillment of his promises, realized yet or not, as the very reality in which we live. There is much reason to begin praising God, as David did, not because our victory has been realized but because it’s coming! Stand firm and let’s sing a song of praise together.

Reflection Questions:

Are there areas of your life you are “waiting” to praise God, once you see the fulfillment of your prayer?

Are there promises in Scripture you have a hard time believing, because you haven’t seen them fulfilled?

What does it look to you to praise God in this season?

Prayer:

Lord, God you are worthy to be praised because of who you are.

You are worthy to be praised without ceasing.

Show me how to live a lifestyle of praise.

Give me eyes to see what you are doing in this nation.

Make clear your promises for this nation, so that I can praise you in this season.

Let our praises be a sweet incense to you and let your glory fall as our praises go forth.

Amen.