Attention, all Choir Directors and Worship Leaders and anyone else who reads... This blog is for you. This Sunday I have the special offertory already set up. No need to plan, just put the words of Psalm 4 to your stringed instruments and everything will be okay. A good lead guitar riff solo would be perfect. Yes, you know by now you are dealing with someone who has a messed up mind.

Psalm 4 is a song of David and after reading it I believe its beginning would be played in a minor key. It starts off by saying, “Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”

David is working on his prayer life and he is asking God to hear his prayers. Have you ever prayed this? You are in a quandary and don’t know how to get out. You know the Christmas credit card bill is due, but there is no money. You know you are very sick but it would take a miracle for you to be well. You are like David, you are praying and praying hard for things to be different. You are wondering if He is listening.

Do you think He does? I mean do you think He listens? Is He really available whenever you call on His name? He is. He has a great big listening ear for His people. Maybe you feel like God is not listening. I have been there. Despite how you feel, God has not gone anywhere. He loves you so much that He made arrangements for you to be able to live with Him forever. (Romans 8:32) Since He is so deeply devoted to you, He is not going to simply just walk away.

In fact, right now, look around you. Go ahead. Look around. See anybody looking at you? No? He is. He is watching over you. Right here. Right now. You may not see Him or hear Him, but you are on His mind and He loves You. Kinda makes that minor key change, right?

However, the key to the guitar solo does not change quite yet in Psalm 4. David asks some questions. “How long will you people ruin my reputation? How long will you make groundless accusations? How long will you continue your lies?” Wow, David is asking some difficult questions because he is in a difficult situation. He has some people trying to ruin his rep. That ever happened to you? If it has, then you know where David is at in his life and those minor chords are being strummed louder than a dynamic crescendo riff at a heavy metal concert. The riffs are louder because you have felt the sting of someone talking about you or trying to destroy your character.

But did you hear it? The tone of the Psalm changes. David says, “You can be sure of this: The Lord set apart the godly for himself. The Lord will answer when I call to him.” The minor key changes and the song begins to have a Beethoven, “Ode to Joy” sound to it. The Lord will answer. He will hear you when you call on His name. David even gives us some great advice. He says, “Don’t sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent. Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord.”

Woah, did that hit you like it hit me. You know, it is hard for me to be silent. Sometimes anger just spews out of my mouth and I don’t even think about what I am saying. That gets me into a lot of trouble. I know it is hard for you to believe that my mouth would get me into trouble, but it does.

I am driving along minding my own business and someone cuts me off, or they drive slower than molasses being poured on hot pancakes and before I know it, I began to yell things like, “Get out of my way!” or “Where did you learn how to drive?”

Not only should I not say those statements, but there is something else wrong with them. They are selfish. I need people to get out of “my” way so that I can get to where “I” want to be faster. Yes, I am a messed up person who Jesus loves and I am so glad He loves me in my mess.

David closes the Psalm by saying, “Many people say, “Who will show us better times?” Let your face smile on us, Lord. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.”

Greater joy! When I allow the Lord to work in my messy life, I gain something from Him. Joy! David said, “You give me greater joy…” Do you have His joy today? Yes, I know, life is messy at times. We have pride, we have anger, we get depressed and anxious about things, but He cares. And because He cares, as David says, I can lay down in peace at night and sleep because He will keep me safe. We do not have to be thankful of everything that happens in our lives, but we do need to be thankful in all things.

So choir directors and worship leaders… I know the beginning of the song will be in minor key, but hang on because the song will change and joy will come from our hurt our habits and our hang-ups. Who will show us better times? Nobody, but our Savior and the song needs to be sung everyday of our lives.