American Christianity is about a happy, clappy religion in praise of a diety more like Santa Claus than the God of the Bible. The Bible, written for us but not to us, takes place in a world that was violent and ruthless. David has been anointed King under God's authority, but he's hunted like a criminal. Here's what happened when he had lost everything.
those with nothing left, rejoice.
Make Yahweh bigger than your need
Do so and we shall praise him together.
I pleaded with Yahweh, "What are you doing?"
He answered and delivered me.
How? He made all my fears slink away.
How many times have I seen it -
those who force-praise light up;
their faces free of shame or care.
So myself, when I lost everything,
force-praised Yahweh,
and He heard and acted,
overcoming my distress.
Yahweh's messenger surrounds
those who force-praise him,
He delivers them.
Taste! See that Yahweh is good.
Oh the joy of those who trust him
when they lose everything.
Force-praise Yahweh, you his chosen,
When everything is gone,
You have everything you need.
(Psalm 34:2-9, DKB Interplation)
Ever-present God:
How blessed I am to live free
in a prosperous and safe country,
with enough to eat and shelter fine,
where I have control over my time.
But how rare historically
is this blest stability.
Most of the human story tells
of war and famine and awful smells,
of raiders coming to my village
to rape and kidnap and to pillage.
In spite of our unsolved problems
These are the best of times.
So David while a refugee
under Saul's death penalty,
flees to enemy territory;
with nothing but his cloak and story.
There he's captured, loses hope,
destitute, in slavery's yoke,
has nothing left, not one ally,
prays "Why me? Why am I
hunted like the jackal, hated?
Is this how you treat your Anointed?"
Then comes into his prison cave
The One who will one day save
all the saints from Barabbas' cross.
Did he break David's chains?
Did he take away the pains?
There was no magic, no miracle,
No evidence of any oracle,
circumstance did not re-arrange
but something inside David changed.
Faith welled up like a spring
and caused his aching heart to sing,
not yet free, not yet King,
but praise in spite of everything.
And what looked to Acish like insanity
was a soul in faithful rapture.
Force-praise is the covenant faith,
that trusts in God though all forsake,
Force-praise exalts God's ability
when we have lost all stability.
Perhaps we can only know
the power of faith when we must go
and force-praise God against
all odds, against all sense,
against the doctor's diagnosis
force-praise Him who truly knows us.
Still I can taste and know His goodness
who is my full Deliverance..
O may I know my deep need of Thee,
admit my true need and poverty;
may I with patience wait to see
how force-praising will set me free.
Amen.
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