Fruit of Lips
6 min read
4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.
5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
— Psalm 42:4-5
This is one of my favorite psalms. I used to lead a song based on this psalm:
Alone in the silence
Lord I can feel You
All around me
All around me
Deep calls to deep
In the roar of Your waters
All of Your waves
Have crashed over me
Lord I can hear You
Like many waters
Flood over me / Flood over me / Flood over me / Flood over me / Flood over me!
Why are you so downcast, oh my soul
I will yet praise Him
My Savior, my King
Why are you so downcast, oh my soul
Raise your voice and sing
Put your hope in Him
I will praise You, my God / I will praise You, my God / I will yet praise You, Lord!
It is still one of my favorite worship songs. It would take all of my heart, soul, strength, and mind to sing this song. The rawness of the song, the truth of what it communicates, the words coming from the mouth of the Lord Himself …
There were times, especially if I were going through a difficult season, when I could barely get through the song without breaking down—feeling the sense of my unworthiness to “lead worship” (who am i), feeling the depth and power of God’s love for me (who am i), wanting to cry out to God with more than the strength and the skills that I have to worship Him: I will praise You, my God / I will praise You, my God / I will yet praise You, Lord!
These words from the mouth of God have always reassured me that whatever pain, whatever struggle I am experiencing in my life, my God, my Savior will always deliver me. And He will deliver me so that I may stand in the house of God to sing His praise. Beyond understanding, God delights and rejoices at the sound of my less-than-melodious voice trying to sing over the voices of the assembly, “I will praise You, my God / I will praise You, my God / I will yet praise You, Lord!”
And these words challenge me, as well. Whatever pain and struggle I may be going through in my life, I will yet praise my God and my Savior. I will continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess His name (Hebrews 13:15).
Worshiping God is not about being spiritually entertained. Worshiping God is to entertain God in the Spirit and in truth. God seeks worshipers like that. (John 4:23)
Father, Who am I that You would be mindful of me? Yet, in Your sovereign love, You created me. But I ran away from You. I chased sin because that is all I could see. But You called me and saved me and helped me to see You. I will praise You, my God and Savior. I will yet praise You, Lord. In Jesus’s name. Amen.