You who fear the LORD, praise Him! (Psalm 22:23)   I have been thinking about that truth a lot lately. After a couple of funerals and people who are really struggling with sickness and various other challenges, praise is not always the first thing that comes to mind. Yet, if you are a believer, one who fears Him, we are to praise Him. It does not put qualifiers on this directive by saying something like, “If you are having a good day, praise Him” or “If you got the job or promotion that you wanted, praise Him.” It does not tell us to praise Him if He answers our prayers the way that we wanted Him to. It simply says, if you are a believer, a Christian, a child of the King, you are to praise Him. It is implying that regardless of what is going on in your life, good or bad, if you are a Christian, you are to praise Him! It is not a suggestion. It does not say that it just might make your day a little better or that it just might take care of your difficulties and struggles if you praise Him, even though that could very well happen. It says, Christian, praise Him! There is an exclamation point after that verse. You who fear the LORD, praise Him! 

Our church, like many other churches, has been put to the test recently. We have not been able to meet since Easter Sunday and during that time we have been hit hard by sickness, to the point where we lost two of our family and one more is currently in the hospital in grave condition. We have children who are battling cancer. We have people who have terminal illnesses. We have friends who have gotten to the point where they have seen no reason to go on living and they have attempted to take their own lives, and some have succeeded. We have many, many reasons to pray and ask God to do something and yet this verse tells us, it even commands us, to praise Him! Check this out:

• Diagnosed with Covid-19?  Praise Him!
• Cancer? Praise Him!
• Terminal illness? Praise Him!
• Facing surgery? Praise Him!
• Loss of a loved one? Praise Him!
• Trouble at work? Praise Him!
• Wayward child? Praise Him!
• Depressed? Praise Him!
• Worried? Praise Him!
• Alone? Praise Him!
• Struggles in your marriage? Praise Him!
• Unsaved spouse or child? Praise Him!
• ____________________? Praise Him!

Whatever it might be, praise Him! “Are you nuts Jerry?” Possibly, but this is the Word of God and this is His directive, not mine. The passage is not telling us to praise Him because of any of these things, but rather, in spite of them or even in the middle of them. This can be and probably is a struggle for anyone of us. I don’t care how long you have been a Christian, or how many times you have observed the hand of God  at work, this is still difficult. The Psalmist follows this command with a Psalm that many of us know, have memorized, and have recited like a magical little diddly to get us through something or make us feel better. I want you to take another look at this Psalm in light of God’s command to praise Him.
The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)

How do we praise Him in the midst of the mess? By remembering a truth that remains today. Psalm 31:15 My times are in Your hands;

PRAISE HIM!!!