Reason To Sing

How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," and my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.
But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; my heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalm 13:1-6)

When you read the psalmist's questions to the LORD it can be pretty depressing. Who among us have not prayed this way? Human beings can feel pretty lonely most of the time. Especially when we think that God has left us alone. The psalmist appears to lose hope as he spirals downward and melts away in defeat. But then we have the last verse.
I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me.
It seems that our most heartfelt expressions are expressed in our singing...either in mournful lamentations or exuberant exultations or somewhere in between. The question that comes to mind is Why is the Psalmist singing?
Sometimes we don't feel like singing. We can't find much to sing about. Some of us are more equipped to sing than others and some of us don't think we have that ability. But it seems that the Psalmist is not so concerned with whether he feels like it or whether he is gifted to sing. He sings. We don't know if the song is a sad one or a joyful one. He just sings. After all of the how longs...he sings. He sings because of some other motivation. He has learned a valuable lesson that I need to learn more about. It's more important Who he's singing to than what he's singing about, or whether he feels like singing or if he thinks he's able.
He sings despite his fears of abandonment, seasons of sorrow, or intense isolation. Alone...this gnawing sensation is common to humanity's condition. It plagues our lives and is the result of being spiritually severed from the goodness of God. Humans instinctively "feel" alone, afraid, and abandoned. This is why we trust in ourselves and the promises of many impotent idolatries. The Psalmist sings...even though he seems defeated, there is God. The LORD. He sings because he trusts in a trustworthy God, despite his emptiness and incompleteness.
Why does the Psalmist sing? BECAUSE HE CAN! God has saved him from a solitary life sentence. God has dealt with him bountifully...giving him far more than he needs to survive. He has given him salvation.
Who are you singing to lately? What are you singing about?
Sing to the LORD...because you can.