Songs for Saints in Streams of Trouble

I used to think the lyrics went like this, 
     streams of mercy never ceasing,
     call for loudest praise. 

But at some point I realized the line is,
     Streams of trouble never ceasing,
     call for loudest praise. 

Well, that is a different song!

There is a lot of trouble in these days after the fall. The streams of trouble never cease. Many are feeling this. But we are not only feeling this. Streams of trouble are flowing steadily. Is that not what it means for Christ to be in the grave? Was Jesus not swallowed up, submerged into the flow of sin by dying for us? There he lay in the stream of death, the torrent of our sin (not his). 

Like a social media feed you can’t turn off news keeps coming of change, trial, gross sin, temptation, frustration, war, exhaustion, death, miscarriage, division and more. COVID lured us into the great lie that it was our great trial. How often have we said we are eager for COVID to end so we can get back to “normal”. But we forgot what normal in a fallen world really was: streams of trouble never ceasing. 

Psalm 42 is the basis for the song above “Loudest Praise” by Shane Barnard. The Psalm begins like this: 

Psalm 42:1–3 says
[1] As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
[2] My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
[3] My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?” (ESV)

The song “Loudest Praise” sings it like this:

As the deer pants for the water
So my soul pants for You
All my tears have been my fodder
Day and night my only food. 

There are Psalms in the Bible and there are songs in the Christian heritage for singing in the streams of trouble. Hear how the Psalm ends, self-counseling to hope in God! 

Psalm 42:11
[11] Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. (ESV)

The song itself - the remembrance of our trouble and of God - is itself the means of getting from thrashing about in hopeless fear to a place of peace and hope in God. The song is for the streams of trouble. 

Here are some songs for saints to sing in streams of trouble. Follow this first link to go straight to my iTunes playlist here. 

Psalm 42 (Loudest Praise)

by Shane Barnard and Shane Everett 

Come thou fount of living water
Tune my heart to bless Your name
Streams of trouble never ceasing
Call for songs of loudest praise

I Asked the Lord That I Might Grow

Together for the Gospel Live Recording

“These inward trials I employ 
From self and pride to set thee free 
And break thy schemes of earthly joy 
That thou may’st find thy all in Me.” 

Dear Refuge of My Weary Soul

Together for he Gospel Live Recording

Dear refuge of my weary soul,
On Thee, when sorrows rise
On Thee, when waves of trouble roll,
My fainting hope relies
To Thee I tell each rising grief
For Thou alone canst heal
Thy Word can bring a sweet relief,
For every pain I feel.

The Night Song

By CityAlight 

In the darkness God will keep me
He will stay and never sleep
In the darkness God is brighter
Though the night is long and deep

Don’t Move that Mountain 

By Jimmy McNeal 

Born in New Orleans, the great singer Mahalia Jackson (1911-1972), like Aretha Franklin, learned her craft in the gospel church, but was also a civil rights icon, and became one of the most powerful and influential voices in America. Jimmy McNeal of the Austin stone belts out a powerful rendition which was released this year. More history on the song here: https://www.song-bar.com/song-of-the-day/mahalia-jackson-no-matter-how-you-pray-/-lord-dont-move-the-mountain-/-dont-let-nobody-turn-you-around.  

The way may not be easy
You did not say that it would be
For when our tribulations 
Get just a little too light and easy
We tend to stray away 

Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me
By CityAlight 

The night is dark but I am not forsaken
For by my side, the Saviour He will stay
I labour on in weakness and rejoicing
For in my need, His power is displayed