‘My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You, and my soul which You have redeemed.’ (Psalm 71:23)
Problems cloud our vision and prevent praise, It is said that on one occasion, the Cleveland Orchestra were playing the overture to The Magic Flute by Mozart when the house lights went out due to a power-failure. The orchestra kept playing and managed to reach the end – perfectly, or so the audience felt as they gave generous applause. Sometime in out relationship with God it feels as thought the lights have gone out (Isaiah 50:10). We should know God so well that we are able to sing His praise in the dark!
Every time you are tempted yo wonder as to the goodness of God, think of the cross. Where was the light when Jesus cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ ( Matthew 27:46). There was darkness all around, as the context makes clear,but far greater was the darkness within His own soul. You must admit, the idea that God’s Son should be abandoned in this way is astonishing. Think of the nakedness, the terrible pain, the spit of the soldiers in His face, the smell of sweat and blood and the mocking crowd. The storm grew and the crowds thinned, and Jesus was heard to cry to His Father. And heaven was silent!
Heaven accused Jesus of lust and lying … covetousness and crime … greed and godlessness! It is not that Jesus was guilty of any of these things – He was sinless ( Matthew 27:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:19). but heaven accused Him in our place: ‘For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him’ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Where was God’s love in all this? It was there all along. God punished every one of our sins to the full that day so that He might never have to do so again. He punished His Son, so that we might never have to suffer. That’s how much He loved us. If that doesn’t make you want to stand up and sing God’s praise, nothing will!
– Derek Thomas, ‘Help for Hurting Christians – Reflections on the Psalms’, pg. 95