He Gives A Song In The Night
By Susan Klein
“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”
Psalm 42:8
One of my favorite stories in the Bible comes from the book of Acts. The Holy Spirit has just worked through Paul and Silas to heal a demon-possessed girl and how are they rewarded? By being stripped, severely beaten by an angry mob, and thrown in jail! (Imagine if they had actually done something wrong!) It’s now about midnight; they are lying in their own blood in a cold dark cell, emotionally and physically crushed. Are they moaning and groaning in agony, crying out against this hideous injustice? No, they are SINGING! They are singing a praise song to their God, and He is listening. The other inmates are listening, too. And they get treated to the awesome display of the earthquake-mighty hand of God as He opens the doors of the cells to free His faithful servants. All are amazed and many come to believe in the One true God. He has provided them comfort through song and escape through His miracle. What an awesome God!By Susan Klein
“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me – a prayer to the God of my life.”
Psalm 42:8
Charles Spurgeon says, “It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but the skillful singer is he who can sing when there is not a ray of light to read by...Songs in the night come only from God; they are not in the power of men.”
Several years ago I went through a challenging time in my life, and sleep escaped me. One particularly difficult night, I was determined not to fall into the pit of despair and got up to find a distraction. I saw the keyboard sitting in the corner, one on which I’d just started taking lessons. I desired to be praiseful like Paul and Silas, though as yet I couldn’t even plunk out an actual tune, let alone complete a whole song. But God was listening, and He heard my heart’s cry. He gave me a song in the night. My fingers started to flow gracefully over the keys while words of praise poured from my mouth. Over and over, I sang His song as a gentle peace settled over me.
The next day I could not remember a single word or note. The song was gone. It had accomplished its purpose that one night—to offer praise to Him and bring comfort to me.
Worship in the midst of worry, praise in the middle of pain…God’s song in the night.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Has God ever comforted you during trying times by bringing the words of a familiar hymn or praise song to your mind? The next time you are distressed, ask Him to give you “a song in the night.”
FURTHER READING:
Job 35:10; Psalm 77:1-6; 149:4-5; Acts 16:16-34
Susan is a wife and mother of two. She leads a small group and teaches for Tuesday a.m. Bible Study.
