The Powerful Garment of Praise!
“The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isa. 61:3).
A few years ago, I was visiting a friend of mine, and he told me he often experienced deep depression and gloom. He described it as a kind of heaviness that often comes upon him without warning. As he was speaking to me, I remembered a Bible passage that said, “The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness” (Isaiah 61:3). And I told him the verse and said it sounded to me like God’s remedy for the spirit of heaviness, and I suggested he start praising God the moment heaviness comes upon him the next time, and he said he’d try it. I saw him again a few days later, and he greeted me with a big smile and said, “I did it, and it worked!” He was very happy that praise for God was so powerful and freeing. I told him I was happy too, but not surprised. There is an example of this happening in the Old Testiment, in 1 Samuel 16:23, when David played his lyre to console King Saul during his times of depression, and it drove the evil spirit away: “David took the lyre and strummed a tune. Saul got relief from his terror and felt better, and the evil spirit left him.”
One of David’s songs of praise, which he may have performed for Saul
“A Song of Praise. Of David. I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made. All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. [The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.] The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The Lord preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever. (Psalms 125:1-21 ESV)
Therefore
“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Psalms 150:1-6)