Can songs of praise be too extreme for ‘Songs Of Praise’?

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today's reading?

Most of these Psalms are very different from the songs we sing in worship today. They are a metal maelstrom of raging anger and epic wonder as the writer’s heart strains against injustice, while tears and praise pour out at the glory of God.

Life isn't comfortable, it is full of danger and evil, there are furious, violent enemies to be overcome. I believe David, the Psalm writer, is thanking God for his life, not just feeling generally warm and nice about love and stuff.

It makes me wonder what it would take for me to feel the need to praise God like that. Would it have to be a life trauma, or can the same Spirit which lived in David and lives in me search my heart to express praise that clearly?

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God is majestic - and Psalm 8 looks like the easiest to express in a modern worship song. But God doesn't just want to sit around and get praised. God engages with the big struggle of good against evil, which gives David his hope of being supported against enemies in the other Psalms.

I think I would shy away from shouting about my righteousness the way David does, but I believe that the Spirit inspired these Psalms, so I think that means God wanted David to have righteous life in relationship with him. I am sure he wants the same for us, which means he needs us to recognise good and the enemies of good in the world.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

I'm going to ask the Spirit to show me where the enemies are in my life - the things which get in the way of living a good life, at least (I'm assuming no-one is actually out to kill me at the moment...?!)

Who am I going to share this with?

When I pray with people this week, we'll talk about this, and follow the Spirit in praising God and condemning the enemies!