Singing God's Praise

Come Before God With Singing
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Ps. 33:5

A man named Bill was taken prisoner by the enemy during the Korean war. He and others with him were taken to a stockade and each man put in a hut or shack. There was no daylight at all in the huts, except for a small sliver that somehow crept under the door for just a few minutes each day. The guards allowed no talking between prisoners, and no other form of communication, but the men found that by tapping their fingers on the wall, they could send and receive messages. Each night a guard brought a small piece of bread and a jug of lukewarm water, set it inside the door, and left without speaking. Silence was meant to be the means of breaking their spirits. The men weren't totally without company though - there were plenty of bugs, ants, and mice. After several weeks, Bill noticed the tapped messages were growing fewer and farther apart; then they ceased almost completely. Still, he continued to tap, hoping there would be an answer. Sometimes, he'd hear a very faint answer, then these too stopped. Bill found himself falling into a deep despair. "Surely'" he thought, "God has deserted me, I shall die here alone, in this darkness and silence."

I will keep thy statutes; O forsake me not utterly. Ps. 119:8

One day, when the small faint light showed under the door, Bill lay down on the filthy dirt floor and peered out to see if there was any living thing he could see before he died. He thought, "I'm as far down as I can get; mentally, spiritually, and bodily. I'll take one more look to see if there is anything left of God out there." Assuming his buddies were dead, he knew that he, too, would die, but not without that last look. To his amazement, moving slightly in the breeze, was a small blade of grass. Nothing more could he see - just a small blade of grass. But it stirred something in his heart. As he lay there, staring at the grass, he began to hum a song, then sing it aloud, not caring if he'd be punished or even put to death. In his weakened state, he began to sing, softly at first, then louder -

Oh Lord my God when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then he sang the chorus to this beautiful hymn, and when he stopped, a weak voice from one of the other huts said softly, "Sing it again, Bill."

Hymns that magnify the Lord always bring strength and hope. Encourage yourself by singing hymns of praise. Regardless of our circumstances, He is still God, He will always be God, and He will always be with those who love and worship Him.

Come before His presence with singing............and into His courts with praise. Ps. 100: 2,4