He was on the run. His life at risk, pursued by a king whom he had served so faithfully. David, the once highly favored warrior, was now being hunted down by his king, King Saul. For the next seven years, David’s life was in constant jeopardy, trying to stay one step ahead of King Saul and his army. And during this time of adversity, David gave an account of how desperate things were.

“My enemies come out at night snarling like vicious dogs . . .” (Psalm 59:14)

“My enemies have set a trap for me . . . “ (Psalm 57:6)

Although David was well aware of the daily threat on his life, even though he knew the odds of survival were not in his favor, he responded to the fear-inducing reality he faced in an unexpected way: he responded with praise.

 “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning, I will sing with joy about your unfailing love.” (Psalm 59:15-16)

“My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! . . . I will wake the dawn with my song.”                (Psalm 57:7-8)

David didn’t praise God for the crisis; he praised God because he knew that God was with him in the crisis.

The threat of COVID-19 has become very real to us as schools, churches, sporting events, and restaurants have been closed or canceled. It is such an unbelievable situation that fear easily becomes our pursuer. We can identify with David, how his way of life was threatened, but we can also choose to respond as he did―with praise.

Praising God in the midst of adversity may seem counterintuitive, but it is an expression of our trust in God’s unfailing love for us. We aren’t praising God for the crisis, but rather we praise Him because we know He is with us in the crisis. His presence displaces fear that can be destructive and paralyzing.

As we praise God during these unsettling times, we are reminded of His promises that ignite in us the confidence that David possessed. The promise that our God is the way-maker, the miracle-worker, the problem-solver, our peace-giver! Let Him be your present help in this time of trouble.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1 KJV)