Psalm 33-34; Acts 16:22-40

Psalms 33 starts put praising the Lord.
1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the LORD with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the LORD is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does. (NIV)
Let's rejoice in all the Lord has done in our lives. We are challenged to praise Him no matter what is going on. God has brought it and allowed it for His purposes and glory. It's not all about us, it's all about Him. We are to be in holy awe of God and have a healthy fear and respect for Him. As we trust Him we will see what He is doing. Being a servant means we are here to bring glory to the father. As we concentrate on that we will be blessed.

Psalm 34 says: 1 I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
2 My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
3 Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together. (NIV)
The Lord wants us to encourage each other praising His name together in corporate worship. He delivers the faithful.
5 Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing. (NIV)
In our circumstances we are to remain faithful and let God fight our battles.
19 A righteous man may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all...22 The LORD redeems his servants;
no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. (NIV)

In Acts 16 we see Paul, Silas and Timothy responding to the vision the Lord had given Paul. They were to take the gospel to Macedonia. Lydia and Her family accepted Christ and then Paul Silas and Timothy were severely flogged and ended up in prison. They easily could have said "surely God must be punishing us or this is too much, I can't handle it. Instead 25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody's chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, "Don't harm yourself! We are all here!"

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

31They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household." 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family.

How we handle persecution will make a huge difference as we praise the Lord in all things and trust God for the outcome. Instead of being overwhelmed, praise Him.