Psalm 69:29-31 (ESV) -- But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.

What pleases God? This is a vital question for people to have answers for. More importantly, it is vital to have the correct answers for this question. The Scriptures present many examples of things that please the Lord. Living holy and fighting against sin pleases God. Using our gifts and leveraging our resources for the Kingdom pleases the Lord. Telling others about the gospel and how Christ saves sinners pleases the Lord. We can list many things that the Bible affirms as pleasing to God, but the one we are exploring today is not often talked about.

Our passage today reveals to us a seldom practiced way that we please God with our lives. The psalmist writes, “But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God, set me on high! I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the LORD more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs.”

The psalmist is afflicted and in pain. Many people throughout their lives experience this in different ways. We lose our jobs. Our health declines. Relationships fracture and find themselves irreparably broken. Our loved ones die. The list could continue forever. Life is filled with afflictions and pains. The psalmist knows the pains, and what does he say in response to this? I will praise the name of God with a song! I will magnify Him with thanksgiving! The psalmist responds to affliction and pain with praise. This is unconventional and unusual for many reasons, the greatest of which is that most pout and sulk when suffering comes. We struggle to praise.

But look at what God’s Word tells us about God’s response to this. It says this praise pleases the LORD more than any sacrifice ever could. God’s pleasure falls upon the weak and weary who praise Him in their pains. He is honored and magnified in the praises of afflicted children. God delights in it. It pleases Him. Friends, praise Him today regardless of your circumstances. As you endure troubles and hardships, remember the God that can rescue and save. Remember His faithfulness to keep you and sustain you. Remember His promises. But remember to praise Him in your afflictions, for this pleases God to see such faith.

Reflection & Journal:

- Why do we struggle with praising God in our pains?

- What are some afflictions and pains you have experienced that have made it difficult to praise God?

- How does this text encourage you? What actions should you take today?

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