The Extraordinary Power of Praise: A 5 Day Devotional From the PsalmsSample

Praising God Quiets our Fear

2020 felt like a dark year for many. COVID-19 ravished the globe. Many lost loved ones, jobs and homes. Life felt dark as we listened to news reports of racial injustice, riots, political polarization and mass shootings. Fear and anxiety rose in massive numbers.

The Psalmist, David, also lived through dark circumstances. His enemy was not a global pandemic but a ruling King who was jealous and tried to kill David many times. When David felt fear, He poured out his heart to God and then shifted his focus to praising God. We discover that pattern through the entirety of David’s life.

In your life and mine, fear is a natural response when life feels dark. Rather than denying our fear, God invites us to pour out our hearts before Him and then shift our focus to worship. As we praise God for His almighty character, the Holy Spirit quiets our fear and illumines our minds to understand the presence of God more fully. Praising God releases fresh faith that replaces doubt, renewed courage that replaces fear, and astonishing calm that replaces anxiety. The truth is, you simply can’t praise God and not be changed.

Selah - Pause and Reflect: Through the book of Psalms we see the word Selah which means to pause and reflect. Take a few moments to reflect and consider. When life feels dark what is your natural coping mechanism?

Prayer of Praise: Lord Jesus, I praise You that You are my light and my salvation. I praise You that when I feel afraid, You invite me to bring all my fear to your feet. Thank You that the darkness of my circumstances cannot overwhelm the light of Your glorious presence. I worship You as the Light that shines in the darkness. I praise You, that You are also my stronghold and safe place and that I can continually run to You. Even now, in this fearful time, Your presence surrounds me. I praise You for the confidence and courage that rises within me as I faithfully worship You. Lord God, You alone are worthy of all my praise.

Psalm 27:1, “The LORD is my light and salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?