Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name

Every blessing you pour out,
I turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be your glorious name

Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name

Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name

Every time I hear this song, or sing it in church, I weep. Yes, I am a crier. I cry at commercials and movies and cheesy stories on the radio, and when I have to say goodbye. I have always been rather sensitive at church during worship, and find myself crying, or just tearing up, at church and during particularly moving songs/lyrics.

But this song has always cut straight to the heart, and I can't really sing the song without tears. I haven't figured out all the reasons, but maybe partly because it is hard to commit to praising God in the midst of "suffering" and when in the "desert."

The song begins praising the Lord's name when things are good, because that's always easy. But the question that I always come to, is, can I sing those words with as much enthusiasm when "I'm found in the desert place"? The second verse does the same thing, begins with praise, "when the world's all as it should be," but can I commit to praise when I'm suffering?

"Though there's pain in the offering..." This line says it all, that I may not fully feel like praising the Lord in my time of suffering, but I'm willing to because He wants it, and He "gives and takes away," and I should thank him for both instances.

You Give and Take Away...There's something about repeating this line, over and over, that gives me the strength to believe it. Oftentimes as I sing this line I think about our miscarriage, coming up on two years ago. I think about the future, and that someday I know God will give to us children, whether biologically or othewise.

You give and take away, But my heart will choose to say, Blessed Be your Name.