the unquenchable worshipper: final thoughts

In part 1, I mentioned worshipping God even in our darkest hour.  But that doesn’t mean we’re to be shiny, happy Christians. living in unreality and not admitting when there are things wrong in our lives.  There’s definitely a place for brokenness and weeping in worship; but there’s a right way and a wrong way to express this.

When we pour out our heart-cries to God, they must not ever become a criticism of who He is.  Apparently, about 70 percent of the psalms are laments -- in other words, songs of sorrow and crying out.  A true lament never challenges or questions the worth of God.  Instead, it reveals that His goodness and greatness are the only hope for a bleak situation.  Even at our lowest ebb, there should be an underlying trust and, therefore, worship.  It’s a precious song of praise that can overcome any obstacle and rise from the heart of the troubled believer to the very heart of God.  Such songs cry out, “Even in my darkest hour I can still glimpse the brightness of Your worth, and the goodness of Your heart.  I am in a desperate state, but no circumstance or trial could ever overshadow You.”  It is praise that costs, even hurts.  But sacrifices often hurt.

The psalms have in fact been described as “praise in the presence and absence of God.”  In other words, a worship that survives every situation, whether God seems close or nowhere to be found.  These laments are deep cries to God from a place of despair.  But is that really worship, or is it simply complaining?  In one sense, yes, they are complaints.  These petitions to God are the worship songs of a broken people.  But almost without exception they also display an underlying confidence and trust in God, and so are truly worship.

Jesus Himself used the words from the psalms of lament as He suffered the cruelty of the cross.  In agony of heart, mind, body and spirit, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” from Psalm 22:1.  It is a cry of torment, yet of strangely submissive devotion.  The Son of God then breathes His last with a verse from Psalm 31 -- another lament psalm: “Into your hands I commit my spirit” (v. 5).  Amazingly, at this point of utter torment, Jesus is offering up one of the common worship songs of His day.  And in so doing He becomes an inspiration to us.  Whatever trials lie ahead in this life, unquenchable worshippers are found with a song of undying worship on their lips.

[taken from The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, Matt Redman, 27-29.]