We enter a new section of the book of Psalms, and are introduced to a new author- the sons of Korah. These were temple priests who led music-based worship during the days of the Temple. And what a worship song this psalm is! What this psalm does for me is that it acknowledges hurt while standing on the foundation of better days that have come before (and hope that they will come again).
The psalm is a search for God, a search for the strength to keep going. The worshippers have been mocked, and God seemingly has not come to rescue them. Yet, as the worshippers seek after God, they remember the glory days of processions and joy. Their hope is that joy will be restored.
We often struggle with the tension between the joy of the Lord and the sufferings of this life. And most of the time, people choose one or the other. They become engulfed in the sufferings without any sense of hope. Others ignore suffering and just try to plaster on fake joy. Obviously, society prefers the latter kind of people. We medicate the first kind of people. And to some extent, churches can echo society on this one. Except sometimes we are guilty of embracing the "fake-joy" group as heroes of faith and telling the people who don't experience hope to repent (as though judgment is what is going to help this situation).
I wonder what would happen if we as followers of Jesus modeled hope in our lives throughout the week. What do you think would happen?
I'm wanting to try to hope and when I think of the hope in the past it is good but I remember the hope has come when I gave God my all so when I am dicouraged I ask 'am I giving God my all?'
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