David was afraid. Of course! Running for his life, leaving his loved ones and home behind, living off the land, he hid in fear of attack and death at the hands of his enemy. For 20 years, scholars say.
Vulnerable.
Humbled.
Lonely.
Living in darkness.
Dependent on God’s grace.
For every moment.
Hiding in caves, David sang. I’m so thankful we have his suffering songs in the Psalms.
We can sing them when we fear more suffering.
When we wonder how we can endure more.
When the media screams doom and panic.
When the test is abnormal. Again.
When finances deepen further into lack.
When we’re afraid for loved ones who don’t know and love Jesus.
When our enemy Satan “tempts us to despair,” rather than hope in what God has promised us as those in Christ.
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering (1 Pet. 5:8-9 BSB).
Into our fears, what can we sing? Let’s sing along with David, for his songs point us to Jesus Christ and every hope we have in His glorious gospel truth!
Lamenting to God when we fear more suffering
My soul is among the lions;
I lie down with ravenous beasts—
with men whose teeth are spears and arrows,
whose tongues are sharp swords (Ps. 57:4 BSB).
They spread a net for my feet;
my soul was despondent (Ps. 57:6 BSB).
One day when heaven was filled with His praises,
One day when sin was as black as could be,
Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin,
Dwelt among men, my example is He!
(“One Day,” Chapman, J. W., 1910)
Singing of God’s unchanging character, revealed to us in Jesus Christ
I cry out to God Most High,
to God who fulfills His purpose for me (Ps. 57:2 BSB).
One day they led Him up Calvary’s mountain,
One day they nailed Him to die on the tree…
Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? “Father, save Me from this hour”? No, it is for this purpose that I have come to this hour (Jn. 12:27 BSB).
Suffering anguish, despised and rejected…
He reaches down from heaven and saves me;
He rebukes those who trample me (Ps. 57:3 BSB).
He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began (2 Tim. 1:9 BSB).
Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He!
Asking for God’s help when we fear more suffering
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy,
for in You my soul takes refuge.
One day they left Him alone in the garden,
One day He rested, from suffering free;
Angels came down o’er His tomb to keep vigil;
Hope of the hopeless, my Savior is He!
God sends forth His loving devotion and His truth (Ps. 57:3 BSB).
Selah
Singing gospel truth about our future when we fear future suffering!
Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away!
He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification (Rom. 4:25 BSB).
Rising, He justified freely, forever;
One day He’s coming: O glorious day!
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Rev. 20:10 BSB).
They dug a pit before me, but they themselves have fallen into it (Ps. 57:6 BSB)!
Selah
Standing firm, secure in Christ, singing His good news to others, in this fallen world’s sufferings
I will praise You, O Lord, among the nations;
I will sing Your praises among the peoples (Ps. 57:9 BSB).
But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus — the ministry of testifying to the good news of God’s grace (Acts 20:24 BSB).
Singing praise to our risen Lord, precisely when we fear future suffering!
Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to Your name (Rom.15:9 BSB).
One day the grave could conceal Him no longer,
One day the stone rolled away from the door!
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
may Your glory cover all the earth (Ps. 57:5, 11 BSB)!
Then He arose, over death He had conquered,
Now is ascended, my Lord ever more!
Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6 BSB)!
Singing Christ’s hope to our souls when we fear future suffering
One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine!
Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing;
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!
Awake, my glory!
Awake, O harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn (Ps. 57:8 BSB)!
Sister in Christ, will you join me? This week’s playlist gift sings every bit of this, perhaps as we’re both preparing for any future suffering to come, but it will all be “to the praise of His glorious grace with which He has blessed us in the Beloved,” Christ Jesus, our Lord (Eph. 1:6 ESV).
If this would be His strengthening gift to you as it is to me, sign up here, and weekly playlists will come to your email, with my prayers and love.
To read more of Lauri’s writing, you can use her devotional Bible study lament prayer journals: Praying God’s Blessings in Christ as We Suffer: Scripture Prayers for the Hardest Days, Praying God’s Promises Into Suffering, Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character as We Suffer, or Singing the Gospel to Job: Finding Hope in Suffering. In the Valleys of God’s Love is written for children aged 3-8, a perfect read for grandparents, parents, and children to share together, preparing them for suffering to come.
For Scripture devotionals, calming hymns, lots of playlist gifts and encouragement from Lauri, click here for YouTube channel
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