Praise In a Foreign Land

In the face of trials and setbacks, this devotion calls readers to choose the joy of the Lord and bless His name at all times. Through personal testimony and biblical examples, Dianna Hobbs shows how praise can be a powerful weapon against despair and how God can use our brokenness for good. She encourages you to hold onto your songs of praise, trust in God's sovereignty, and look to His promises of deliverance and breakthrough.

Nothing in this world is worth allowing your joy to be stolen or your song to be silenced.

Although there are seasons when life is full of things to smile about, that isn’t always the case. We all know that circumstances can shift quickly, leaving us struggling to keep our heads above water. It can feel like the ground beneath you is crumbling. When this happens, depression will invite you to sink into its pit. Discouragement will volunteer to be your constant companion, and disillusionment will offer to keep you company.

Decline those invitations.

Instead, choose the joy of the Lord. Otherwise, you’ll find that smile fading, the gleam in your eye dulling, and your passion for life diminishing.

I know this all too well.

I have spoken many times about 2019, the fateful year I sustained a traumatic brain injury after a severe allergic reaction to the antibiotic Bactrim. The ordeal left me with crippling anxiety, PTSD, panic attacks, and even fear of walking outside. My vocal cords were damaged from the mini-stroke, making it difficult to swallow, let alone sing. For someone who had always found comfort in music, this was devastating.

At the time, I couldn’t understand how I could possibly sing the song God had given me during this period—a song titled "Don't Know Why." I was in the midst of recovery, barely holding on, and my voice, both literally and figuratively, felt foreign to me.

It felt like mockery. How could I sing in this strange land? Like the psalmist in Psalm 137, I asked, How can I sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

Psalm 137 was written by someone whose heart was broken, much like mine was during my recovery. The writer reflects on a time when Babylon overtook Jerusalem, carrying tens of thousands of Israelites into captivity. They were forced to live in exile, away from everything they knew.

Babylon, the place of their captivity, was not home. It was a foreign land, both spiritually and physically. Their captors taunted them, asking them to sing the songs of Zion for their amusement. But the psalmist was too heartbroken to sing. As he sat beside the rivers of Babylon, he wept and lamented the loss of Jerusalem and, in the process, lost his praise.

He asked, “How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?” (Psalm 137:4).

But even in that brokenness, dear friend, God was teaching me to sing of His love, faithfulness, His goodness, and His promise to work all things for good.

On Friday, September 27, I'll be releasing "Don't Know Why," a song born out of those difficult days. My prayer is that it will be a reminder to you, as it has been to me, that even when we can't understand what we're walking through, we can still trust in God's sovereignty, sing of His love, and release a praise.

I wonder, have you ever been in a season where you felt too broken, too defeated, to lift your voice in praise?

I have. When I was recovering from my injury, it felt like everything had been taken from me—my health, my peace, and my ability to sing. I was in a “foreign land,” physically weak and emotionally drained. But in that place of suffering, I was reminded of David’s words in Psalm 34:1: “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Not sometimes. At all times.

David, too, was in a foreign land. In 1 Samuel 21, we find him on the run, trying to preserve his life as King Saul sought to kill him. He was desperate—so desperate that he resorted to pretending to be insane, scratching at doors and letting saliva run down his beard. This man, anointed by God to be king, was living in caves, exiled from his home, and acting like a madman just to survive.

David could have easily succumbed to despair. He could have questioned God’s promise, wondered why his life was in shambles despite being chosen and anointed. But instead, David chose to bless the Lord. He didn’t allow his circumstances to rob him of his praise.

That’s the lesson I had to learn. Even when I couldn’t sing the song God gave me, even when my voice was unrecognizable, I had to choose to bless the Lord. I had to declare, like David, that no matter what I was going through, His praise would continually be in my mouth.

Friend, be like David. Refuse to let the enemy steal your praise. When you’re going through trials, choose to bless the Lord. Keep your heart full of gratitude—no matter what. Keep on singing, even when it feels impossible.

To help you do that, I’m stirring David’s words in Psalm 34:1 as the sweetener in your cup of inspiration to encourage you. Whilst he was in a foreign land, he said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

As you drink down the contents of your cup, remember, even though things aren’t perfect, refuse to let anything steal your praise. You may have unanswered prayers before the Lord, but bless His name while you wait. Praise Him for keeping your mind when everything around you was falling apart. Praise Him for being your rock when the ground beneath you was shaky. Praise Him for being your shelter when the storms of life were raging. Praise Him for His whispers of hope when despair was screaming loud.

Oh, I feel a praise rising up!

Praise Him for His promise of dawn when the darkest night surrounded you. Praise Him for His gentle touch when your heart was bleeding. Praise Him for His sovereign plan when your circumstances made no sense. Praise Him for giving you strength to endure when you didn’t know how you would make it through. Praise Him for giving you a song in a foreign land to sustain you.

Here’s the point: God is worthy all the time, even in the worst of times. God is good all the time, even in the bad times.

And just as He delivered David, just as He brought the Israelites out of Babylonian captivity, and just as He delivered me from the depths of my affliction, He will deliver you. Hold on to your praise. Hold on to your song.

Now let’s pray.

God, I refuse to let my circumstances rob me of my praise. Even in the midst of trials and setbacks, I will bless Your name. You are my rock, my fortress, and my strength. I praise You for the breakthroughs that are coming and for the grace You’ve already given me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If you desire prayer, please allow me, along with my intercessory prayer team, to stand in faith with you for breakthrough. We would be so honored. We have seen God work over and over again. There is power in agreement. Click here to request prayer now.

As always, thanks for reading and until next time... may today's cup of inspiration uplift, encourage, and empower you!

Podcasts from Dianna Hobbs: