Lift up thine eyes.

Throughout the book of Psalms, David’s worship songs and poems show the beautiful, sometimes tragic or mournful, exuberant, passionate, creative, questioning, hopeful, love-filled heart of worship. There really is worship for every season and for every reason that is directed toward our good God! I like to say this: Worship means finding the song to sing in every circumstance. That’s what David did! In spite of his many flaws, one thing David had mastered was running to the Lord. David had experienced the goodness of God and it had forever changed him. There were no other options for David but to seek the Lord’s wisdom, to worship Him and, to fall on His face before Him in any season of life and to teach others how to worship as well.

David knew this: Worship is a winning strategy. Not because it means you’ll never make a mistake again or because everything will magically work out, but because in the presence of the Lord you’ll find all you need to succeed amid adversity. The supernatural power of God that dwells within praise (Psalm 22:3) is different than you’ll experience anywhere else. So, David knew to look to the Lord in all things. Did you catch that? In ALL things. Even in his sin, he ran to the Lord because, even if he received a terrible consequence for his sin, David knew God’s mercy was would support him through the dark valleys as well as the mountain tops.

“To You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens. Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her mistress so our eyes look upon the Lord our God, until He has mercy upon us.” (Psalm 123:1-2)

“I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. he will not let your foot slip; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who guards Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:1-4)

David lifted up his eyes to the Lord when he could have looked down in shame, when he could have looked around at his circumstances and worried; when he could have looked at what others were doing. But David lifted up his eyes to the Lord. It was a choice. It was sacrifice. It was sheer willpower at times. Determination. Commitment. “One thing I desire,” David said, is “to see the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4) David lifted his eyes and looked at the Lord whom he loved and nothing else mattered because David refused to allow it to matter. Why? Because he had full confidence of what he’d see when lifting his eyes to the Lord, and that it would sustain him and give him God’s perspective, which was more valuable than anything the world had to offer. “I believe I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” (Psalm 27:23)

Thought for today

Worship has nothing to do with situations or circumstances. Worship has nothing to do with feelings. Worship has nothing to do with any factor other than God’s goodness. Of course we do praise the Lord for many reasons, but when those are all stripped away, we must still worship God for His goodness. We don’t worship because LIFE is good, we praise the Lord because HE is good. This is important. The enemy wants to disconnect you from the emotional, passionate, vital, electric current of the Spirit of God because he knows it will break the powerful connection you need to keep moving ahead in victory over him. Worship is like the umbilical cord that nourishes a growing baby- and the enemy is constantly trying to cut it off. He’ll put a choke hold on your life to the point that you stop worshipping the Lord and just try to “survive” – but really, your survival depends on staying connected! Take time today to worship Him and lift up your eyes to see where your help comes from, friend. God has something He wants you to see. <3

Don’t forget to pick up a copy of The Way of the Worshipper on Amazon – and AVAILABLE NOW you can also purchase The Way of the Worshipper: A Devotional Workbook for deeper study, personal examination and spiritual growth!