Psalm 13:6 I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. I have always loved this verse because it tells of how songs often come from the overflow of our bounty. However this verse is hiding something (actually, it’s only hidden in English). The part where is says “He has dealt bountifully with me” actually consists of one word, gamal, repeated. Repetition is always important, especially in Hebrew where it’s used for emphasis. So David’s not just saying, “Hey God, I’m singing because you’ve done a lot for me.” He’s saying that God has done a ton, doubly bountiful, above and beyond regular gifting. It’s one of those moments where he is utterly overwhelmed with everything good God has done and how he’s been blessed. Interestingly, it comes at the end of this psalm where David cries out to God, asking Him how long He will hide from him. He talks about his desperate need for God’s counsel so that his enemies don’t overcome him. He cries out for God to enlighten his eyes, to shed light on his situation. Without God’s wisdom, his decisions could be deadly. He remembers at the end that he has trusted God’s love and faithfulness, and reminds himself that, just as God has been faithful to rescue him in the past, so He will be his “yeshuw-ah” (salvation) again. Ending by remembering the bountiful blessings, made doubly so by the repetition of the bounty, purposefully removes his mind from the fear and frustration where he started. So, what’s the point? Well, there are several things: First, it’s okay to ask God questions. Who better to ask, anyway? Even if I’m upset, seeking His face for guidance is the critical first step. Acknowledge that without His input and His guidance, I’m as good as dead. Praise Him! Even before I see an answer, remembering all the ways He has bountifully blessed, bountifully blessed (!) me is reason to rejoice in Him. Making this choice to remember and praise Him for what He’s done in the past, is a conscious choice I make to dwell on His faithfulness instead of my fear. And no matter what the circumstances, don’t forget to remember: His past faithfulness in answering prayers and in my life. His past faithfulness in showing up at the moment of greatest need with reinforcements (don’t you love how the word for salvation is “yeshuw-ah” – we pronounce is yeshua… Yeshua… Jesus…). When our hour was darkest and we were in greatest need, our reinforcement, salvation arrived, and we are not overcome after all. I told someone the other day that worship (praise and worship) is like prayer. It runs the gamut of emotions from anger and fear to joy and exultation. Like David’s psalms, it’s a human expression of love and conversation. Worship comes in many flavors – standing, sitting, kneeling, prostrate on the ground, dancing with jubilation… and all of these are ways we pray, too. Our songs rise to Him as an expression of our hearts most deeply felt needs and aches. How many times does a song express the deepest pain or the uncontainable joy of our hearts? Songs, like prayer, break down our walls and break our hearts before God, and we pour out our longings, tears, gratefulness, love before Him. It’s intimate conversation from the depths of our hearts straight to the heart of God. Yes, even when we ask, How long will you forget me O LORD? Yet, He is holy. He is faithful. He has dealt bountifully, dealt BOUNTIFULLY (!) with me!