2 Chronicles 20:18-23: a reflection

18Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshiping the LORD. 19The Levites, of the children of the Kohathites and of the children of the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with an exceedingly loud voice. 20They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. As they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, so you will be established! Believe his prophets, so you will prosper.” 21When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and give praise in holy array as they go out before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for his loving kindness endures forever.” 22When they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushers against the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were struck. 23For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. When they had finished the inhabitants of Seir, everyone helped to destroy each other.

Facing a vast army coming against them, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah do something remarkable: before the battle, before they see any sign of deliverance, they worship, and they send singers out ahead of the army to praise God. When they had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and give praise, and say, Give thanks to the LORD, for his loving kindness endures forever. And it was as they began to sing and to praise that God set ambushes against the enemy. They praised God in faith before they saw the deliverance, trusting him, and the deliverance came as they praised.

Notice when Judah praised: before the deliverance, in faith. They did not wait until the battle was won to give thanks; they went out singing praise before they saw any sign of victory, trusting God to deliver them. Their praise was an act of faith, offered before the deliverance, believing God would act. And it was as they began to sing and praise that God worked their deliverance. They praised him not because they had already seen his salvation, but in faith that he would give it; and the praising itself was the posture of trust in which the deliverance came. They praised God in faith, before the victory, and the victory came as they praised.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too can praise God in faith before we see the deliverance, trusting him. We often wait to praise God until after he has delivered us, until we see the outcome; but Judah praised him before the battle, in faith that he would deliver, and the deliverance came as they praised. There is a praise offered in faith, before we see the answer, that is itself an act of trust in God. When you face something beyond your strength, do not wait until you see the deliverance to praise God; praise him in faith beforehand, trusting him, as Judah went out singing before the battle. Praise God in faith before you see the deliverance, trusting him to act, as Jehoshaphat's people went out singing praise before the battle and God delivered them as they praised; for there is a praise offered in faith, before the answer is seen, that is the posture of trust, and God is worthy of our praise before the deliverance as well as after.

Lord, facing a vast army coming against them, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah do something remarkable: before the battle, before they see any sign of deliverance, they worship, and they send singers out ahead of the army to praise you. He appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and give praise, and say, give thanks to the LORD, for his loving kindness endures forever. And it was as they began to sing and to praise that you set ambushes against the enemy. They praised you in faith before they saw the deliverance, and the deliverance came as they praised. Show me when Judah praised: before the deliverance, in faith. They did not wait until the battle was won to give thanks; they went out singing praise before they saw any sign of victory, trusting you to deliver them. Their praise was an act of faith, offered before the deliverance. And it was as they began to sing and praise that you worked their deliverance. They praised you not because they had already seen your salvation, but in faith that you would give it. Take that to my heart, for I too can praise you in faith before I see the deliverance, trusting you. I often wait to praise you until after you have delivered me; but Judah praised you before the battle, in faith, and the deliverance came as they praised. There is a praise offered in faith, before we see the answer, that is itself an act of trust in you. When I face something beyond my strength, keep me from waiting until I see the deliverance to praise you; help me praise you in faith beforehand, Lord, trusting you, as Judah went out singing before the battle.