Downer's Music

At Winter Conference, two guys wrote a song on the last night of praise and testimony.It was a melancholic song with the crying refrain, "Save me!Save me!"And I remember the author had to introduce the downer's song with an insight that Psalm 40 also was a kind of downer's Psalm, in which the Psalmist chose to praise God even in the midst of his pain and anguish.

Lady and Gentlemen, here’s the first 11 verses of Psalm 40:

I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the desolate pit, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Happy are those who make the LORD their trust, who do not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods. You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you. Were I to proclaim and tell of them, they would be more than can be counted. Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, "Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart." I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; see, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD. I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation. Do not, O LORD, withhold your mercy from me; let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.

There you have it. Even people who steadfastly following God like King David didn't escape from the mundane troubles of life. It is a fallacy to follow God so that you can be successful in your career, have a happy marriage, or receive blessings and prosperity. No, you follow God because He will be with you through out all of the ups and downs of life.

In the bible, Hebrews 10:5-7 ascribed this passage to Jesus:

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am - it is written about me in the scroll - I have come to do your will, O God.’”

In that line of thought, I am wondering if that if we the people of God also need to embrace the similar attitude when we come to face the mundane troubles of life: If Jesus attitude was that the Bible prescribed the will of God for Him, could we follow that same attitude and search the Word to live our life according to God’s will too. This also means that we would also embrace the mundane trouble allotted for us with the faith that through our obedience and faith in the trouble times, God will be exalted, and that "Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD".

This may be a tough lesson for us all to learn, but after all anyone could trust in God when God blessed them and with the things they wanted in life. But the true worshipers of God are the one who could worship Him and give Him praise in any circumstances of life.

O God, help us to go beyond just seeing you as a tool to manipulate for our own prosperity and happiness; help us to truly follow the footstep of your Son Jesus, in trusting you and live accordingly to your will, even through the mundane troubles of life.