Q1. Psalm 57

[hanks]

Q1. (Psalm 57)

Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances?

We are focused on our problems or circumstance instead of on Him who greater than any trials we might be experiencing, making it difficult to praise Him. It is only when we approach God through grace and start to trust Him in our trials that we glorify Him.

How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

By praising Him our spirits are uplifted, and our faith is strengthened as we turn to Him and praise Him for who He is, acknowledging Him as our Heavenly Father. Our attitude will change to one of complete peace and joy knowing that He is in control and we will be motivated by the fact that His will shall be done.

[Moody Grad]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

I know that I can get so consumed by my problems that I forget to praise. It is the last thing I think of doing. However, praise lifts up my soul. My faith is strengthened and renewed. I can face another day knowing that His love is great. I can choose joy and be motivated by His faithfulness to me. My God will not forget me. He knew me even before I was placed in my mother's womb!

[Mildred C]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

Psalm 57 Question (1) It is easy to Praise God when things are going good, we can raise/lift our hands, sing, dance and shout. The problem is when things are rough and we are having it hard, the focus seem to be on us and not on God. Ihe Psalmist said, "I will praise the Lord at all times, His praise will continuesly be in my mouth. Oh how good it ishrist to praise the LORD! When trouble/circumstances come our way, we should praise God. (remember it could always be worse) praise and thank God in spite of the circumstance. Remember, "all things work togrther for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose".

Praise ignites our faith, we rely on what we believe. Our attitude should be as that of Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"(Phil. 4:13). Knowing that God is always ther gives us assurance that everything will be alright. God gives us power to defeat our circumstances and enemies.

[Emma2]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

I think it's because praise seems like something to do when we're feeling happy. When we're worried or in pain, we're weighed down, not happy. But what I've been learning, in my own life, is that when something extreme has occurred to cause me worry, I start reaching out to God more intensely. I even have to pray for the strength to do so. His word becomes more meaningful. And though I am not relaxed, and the problem is still there and requires my response, I sense his presence and comfort. The gratitude that pours through me is praise. There are times when there is no threat, but I feel a distance between myself and God. I reach out for him, and again am so grateful for the sense of his reality, when it comes. To me, that is praise. It is something that he gives me to give back to him. This can happen when listening to his word.....there can be a sense of heightened awareness, that he is connecting with me, helping me to understand something. Again, gratitude!

On a different vein of praise.....after years of somber and sober music at church, I've been in awe when I've heard a Christian band request that the audience clap and cheer for God! What a beautiful thing to do! It won't take the place of personal praise in our lives, but is a beautiful way to acknowlege God corporately. I think.

[Dainty]

It is difficult because we are focusing on the problem. We sometimes fail to acknowledge God's power in the situation and it becomes hard to see anything good out of situation. We we praise that change our attitude and our faith becomes strong. We are more motivated to do thing when we are grateful and knowing that there is one who know what I am going through and he can take care it.

[JanMary]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances?

Trials and difficulties drag my thoughts back to the circumstances....keep me focused on "What If's". I tend to focus on fighting against old fears and calling my thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ....it takes an effort of my will to worship and praise God in those times. It's a sacrifice because during painful times it feels like my heart and mind have an anchor tied to them, weighing me down.

How does praise affect our faith?

Praise raises my hope of a confident expectation of a good outcome, because when I lift my voice and arms in worship, I've let go of the problem, and am seeing that God is bigger than any circumstance in which I find myself. Praise changes my perspective and my outlook. He is worthy of praise, No matter what is going on in my life!!!!

Our attitude?

When I praise, I refocus. My attitude shifts from "what about me?" to "It's all about YOU, Lord".

Our motivation?

When I praise, my motivation shifts from hanging on by my fingernails in survival mode, to having the desire to honor my Lord, and to choose to put my trust in Him.

[jesus]

The Psalmist often urges us to praise and thank God in all circumstances. Praising God becomes very difficult in midst of trying circumstances because we stop looking at God and start looking at the problem. The problem seems huger than our God. We try to reason out the difficulty rather than looking at God and thanking Him. We see no way out and we often stop praising and doubting God. Our mind dwells on the difficulty and reasons out on how to solve it and we totally forget to praise God.

But however difficult ,when we start praising and thanking God , our attitude towards the difficulty changes. Praise is a sure key to victory and praise changes all things. Praising God means we reconnect ourselves to the Father and he fills us with hope and peace which no man can give us in the trying circumstances.

Praise increases our faith and motivates us to trust God. This is my personal experience. Whenever I am faced with difficulties,I somehow arise like David and sit and praise and worship God. Suddenly a great peace takes over and then I am filled with faith that God can do all things. He is able to deliver me out of anything. I then start reading the word and my attitude changes,my thinking changes,and I am able to say God will turn out all things for my good because I love him and trust Him.

Praising God moves the heart of the Father,he hears the cry of my heart and he will honor his word..and redeem me from any thing that might seem impossible.

These days I praise God with the psalms ,songs etc and it has strengthened me and helped me greatly trust God.

[antonate]

God inhabits in the praises of his people. when faced with situations that look impossible to handle or things that happen which seems to have no answers then we begin to reason and try to solve the necessary situations. In these moments, the power of praise diminishes and doubt and unbelief take over the power of praise. In the face of trying circumstances we just sit down reasoning the given circumstances and this makes way for sadness and worry. The thoughts of a particular circumstance keep coming in our minds and hence the words that come out of our mouth too are full of the concerned circumstance. Praises to God are choked by these thoughts and it makes difficult for the person to stand up and Praise our God.

In spite of trying circumstances when we sing and shout Praises to the Lord we become calm and peaceful. Peace divine fills our souls and then we are able to derive strength from God as we continually sing praises unto Him. Praises enable us to know the will of God, it saves us from making wrong decisions and enables us to wait upon the Lord. Praises bring hope and deliverance to any situation. Praises make way for God to act on behalf of us and fight all our battles. Our attitudes become positive and we are built with attitude of faith.

[Old Jerry]

Praise is difficult in the midst of trying circumstances because we are thinking about ourselves. We are in involved in our circumstance and don’t think that God can get us out of it or maybe we just don’t think of God at that time.

Praising affects our faith by bringing us comfort knowing that we have somebody that we can count on that will helps us in our situation.

[Clarence]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

 

Nehemiah 8:10 says "The joy of the Lord is your strength". Praise helps us to focus our thoughts and being on God- professing our faith in God seems to have the effect of helping us to focus on him. Speaking out his attributes and promises in thankfulness (1 Thessalonians 5:8) lifts our spirit and helps us to put our hope in God again-just as the psalmist David experienced, in his trouble (v 10). It is often hard to praise God in times of trouble and desperation because it is hard to think past our trouble, when it is overwhelming. God helps us in our trouble-"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1).

[Barbiemac]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation

Praise is difficult during trying times because there is such a sense of defeat, when we take a step of faith and start to praise it has a way of healing that sense of defeat and our attitude improves which helps us to fight the battle.

[abbygail15]

When we are weighted down by difficult situations we just don't feel like praising God. Most of the time we want to blame him for our situation. We have to force ourselves to come before God in prayer. When we do this something happens. As we pray our attitude changes and our spirit begins to fill with joy and then we are in God' presence, his safe place.;

[WinstonY]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

 

Praise is difficult in trying circumstances because often in these circumstances our spirit is low and when we look to the Lord we find it hard to see that it is from the Lord that comes our help. It is he who has made Heaven and Earth. He will not allow your foot to the be moved. However, when we pray fervently to God the interaction which we have with the father will be a balm for our soul and we will feel buoyed up by the spirit of the Lord.

[Ms. Joanne]

On August 18, 2007 at 2:56 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

For me praise is difficult in the midst of my troubles,. E use it is my natural tendency to turn towards the negative and troublesome worries and thoughts.  To praise during those times, I must consciously turn my thoughts towards God.  However once I start to praise, although, those worries are in the back of my mind, I start to look at the positives and let God thoughts seep into my being.  My faith in God kicks in and his thoughts or advise nets seep into my mind.

[Godswriter]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

I believe that praise is difficult in trying circumstances because we don't know what God is doing in our lives at the time and if He will rescue us or not. For me I have doubted His goodness so many times that I seem to forget that He loves me enough to provide for all of my needs to be met. He is a God who truly cares about us and wants the best for us. We must be willing to trust Him during the trying circumstances of our lives to know that He is there for us and He truly does care for us. For who else other than God alone died on a cross at Calvary for our sins! How does praise affect our faith? It should embolden us to pray deeper prayers to the Lord and also be more willing to do what He asks us to do as well. It lifts us up out of our me centered attitude that we have and puts us in the right frame of mine with God. It motivates us to want to help others. 

[Lottie]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

I believe it is hard to praise God when we are feeling depressed and down hearted. Because we usually focus on our circumstances and not God and who He is. We tend to think things will not get any better and have poor me attitudes. We might even think that God does not understand us and that He is far away.

I believe praise gets our mind off our situations and focuses it on God instead. When we start to praise Him; then our depression or sadness is lifted. We remember that He is all powerful and nothing is impossible with Him/ We come to realize that God is bigger than our problems and once more we feel joyful and full of hope again. Our faith is increased and we believe that God will make a way for us where there is none. We no longer feel sorry for ourselves and we focus our minds on God and what He wants us to do and we tell others about Him.

Our motivation changes and we once more want to follow and obey God. We want to let others know what He has done for us. No longer are we self-centered and thinking only of ourselves and our problems; we are thinking about him and others. Praise takes our minds off of ourselves and puts all our attention and goals on Him.

 

[MICHELLE OXLEY]

study of Psalms.docx

[Rosesam]

Q1. (Psalm 57) Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances? How does praise affect our faith? Our attitude? Our motivation?

In the midst of our trying circumstances, we are too focused on those things rather than look at it from a heavenly perspective. We get caught up with our trials, difficulties that it clouds our perspective of looking beyond, lifting up our eyes to the hills, from where our help comes from. The sun is so huge, but we can block out the son with our thumb when we place the thumb in front of our eyes. The sun is still there, but our focus is on the thumb in front of us. Too often we gaze at our problems rather than glancing at it. What we need to do is to gaze at the Lord and glance at the problems. Then all those things that surround us will become shadows in the light of Him.

When we praise the Lord, we magnify the Lord. The Lord indeed is big. But when we focus on the problems, the problems seem big in our eyes. But when we magnify the Lord in our eyes, the problems seem smaller. That’s what praise does. We see the problems before us in the correct perspective. And the correct perspective is to see it as God sees it. This lifts up our faith and it pleases God.

When we praise Him, we are inviting His presence in our midst. Bible says He inhabits in the praises of His people. Also it says that at the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore. At the presence of the Lord, the mountains melt like wax. So our attitude toward the situation also changes when we praise Him.

Our goal is to be hidden in Him. When we praise Him, He surrounds us. We may think that we are surrounded and overwhelmed by our circumstances and trials. Whereas we are actually surrounded by Him. Praise allows us to see this perspective and this motivates us to praise Him more.

[Krissi]

(When I first started doing these biblical studies, I rarely read the responses. Now, however, I read them carefully. There's a sense of fellowship with you(!) that I feel in spite of the years that have passed and anonymity. God transcends space and time. He binds long-dead Christians to future ones in one body. Thank you for your responses. They are appreciated.)

It is difficult to praise God because, as so many of you wrote, we're focused on ourselves. Our own problems seem overwhelming, pointless and critical. God seems to have turned his face from us. We feel alone, abandoned and unloved. "Where is that powerful God who vindicates and protect us," we wonder. "How could a loving God let this happen?"

I found it interesting that so many of you wrote that the act of praise gave you an emotional/spiritual lift. Without saying it,  you all seem to believe that this lift goes beyond the psychological, that it's not just something you talk yourself into, or submit to, but God Himself entering into you in greater measure.

I am trying to praise right now. Trying to focus my mind on Him. Praise should be an act of will, something I know I should do, want to do and need to do ... but my mind too-often wanders back to these dire circumstances.

"LORD, HELP ME PRAISE YOU!! Help me "count it all joy." Please make these circumstances only last "for a little while" yet let me grow closer to You through them. You say that it is Your will that I rejoice and pray without ceasing; I want to do this. I want to give you genuine praise. Help me praise you now, Lord. Amen."

 

[Francine Douglas]

Q1. (Psalm 57)

 

Why is praise difficult in the midst of trying circumstances?

Our human frailty responds naturally via our emotions to external factors that cause us pain in the heart in relation to disappointments, loss, rejection abandonment...Hence, it takes the grace of God upon one's life to push ahead amidst the trials of life from a place of knowing (not feeling) that God loves us, is for us and not against us.

How does praise affect our faith? Our faith is predicated on the word of God, which waters our soul. A soul watered by the truth of God's Word opens up our heart to believe in the Word which calls us to trust God and put our hope in Him in every season and circumstance.
Our attitude? Our praise flows from our freedom in Christ. We become less worrying and more restful, and our perspectives shifts to God's faithfulness and goodness.
Our motivation?  We keep praising, then we keep believing, then we keep going, growing and glowing as we allow our life to testify of God's love and faithfulness.