January 20 – A Heart & a Song (Psalm 57)

“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.”(Psalm 57:7)

IN WORD:
Reading the Psalms, you get the impression that life for its writers, especially David, was one tumultuous episode after another. There are psalms of praise & joy, of grief & defeat, of deep meditation & inspiring victory. But regardless of the focus of each psalm, it is hard not to notice that many of them — most, in fact — are written in the context of crisis (see v. 1, for example). Cries to God come out of the crucible, and God’s response comes into it.
One thing God looks for when we are in the crucible is a steadfast heart — a heart that will not, under any circumstances, fall away. No matter what uproar is going on around us, no matter how much pressure is applied, God will wait to answer us until it is clear to Him, to us, and to those who observe us, that our heart is resolutely fixed on Him. And more than just steadfastness of hope is required; it is a steadfastness of worship, too. The heart that learns to make music in its darkest moments is the heart that is delivered.
The deliverance usually comes twice. First, a worshipful heart has risen above oppressive circumstances, even when the circumstances remain. It is an inward liberation that can find deep joy regardless of what’s happening on the outside. But a resolved, singing heart then finds deliverance in a God who responds. He frequently invades circumstances and scatters our enemies, sometimes dramatically. The wait may be long, but the victory is sure. God does not remain silent in His love when we do not remain silent in our worship.

IN DEED:
When circumstances oppress, the battle rages, and the heat of the crucible rises, where is your heart? Is it steadfast in its worship? Does it sing of the God who reigns above every cloud? If so, expect deliverance. Expect it within and without. You can sing your song of victory before victory even comes. In the most important sense, it already has.

“Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.” -Robert Robinson-