Funny Triangle

O bless the Lord, my soul, when praise
Is furthest from my lips,
For most thou needest then to raise
How great his wisdom is,
How strong his pow’r, how firm his will,
Unchanged, though change thou be,
How faithfully his love cleaves still
To cleave unfaith from thee.

O bless the Lord, my soul, when death
Bears down upon my heart;
Though he thee slay, thy final breath
Must not from hope depart.
I know that my Redeemer lives,
And at the last shall stand
Upon the earth, and comfort give
By his tear-wiping hand.
    (Job 13:15; 19:25; Isa 25:8;
    Rev 7:17; 21:4)

O bless the Lord, my soul, when sin
Most sorely fills my breast,
When all the vileness left within
Sours meat and curdles rest,
For God in Christ gives victory;
‘Twill fall before his grace!
Why should vestigial darkness, me,
Stint him of any praise?
    (Rom 7:21-25; 1 Cor 15:57)

O bless the Lord, my soul, in want,
Where need and longing meet,
For none more than the Savior pant
Nor greater wish entreat
Than for his kingdom to appear
And Jesus’ face to see
(And what, he says, remaineth dear
He will add unto thee).
    (Ps 42:1; Matt 6:31-33)

O bless the Lord, my soul, in all
And any circumstance;
Let my afflictions on him fall,
And every care advance
To him whose might, my soul, doth save,
Who o’er thee doth rejoice
With murmurs of his calming love
And songs of gladsome voice.
    (1 Pet 5:6-11; Zeph 3:17)

—For gritted teeth.

This is a hard one to share for how much it exposes me. I have found that sometimes I must force myself to find some aspect of God to praise. But when I ask what I least find praiseworthy in him, he will prick me to seek that part of him the absence of which I then most painfully feel, that I may repent, believe, and rejoice in it and him. His goodness. His love. His graciousness. His provision. His nearness. His mercy. His comfort. Et cetera et cetera ad infinitum et aeternitatem.