Go! And Sing in the Night – Trusting God’s Love in the Darkest Hours
Psalm 42:8 – Go! And… Series
Introduction: Singing When the Night is Long
Have you ever been awake in the middle of the night, unable to sleep, burdened by the weight of worry, grief, or fear? The silence of night often magnifies our struggles. It is in those moments we ask, “God, where are You?”
The Psalmist in Psalm 42:8 (NLT) says: “But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.”
This verse is a lifeline for every believer who feels overwhelmed, alone, or dry in their spirit. Today, in our Go! And… series, I want to show you how to Go! And sing in the night, to trust in God’s love even when your soul feels cast down.
Psalm 42 is often attributed to the sons of Korah—a group of Levitical singers. The Psalm reflects deep spiritual thirst during a season of exile or separation from temple worship. Verse 8 is a turning point: amidst despair, the Psalmist recalls God’s steadfast love and chooses to sing at night.
“Unfailing love” – chesed: covenantal, loyal, steadfast love. It is the same love that God shows throughout Scripture, a love that does not waver based on our circumstances.
“Sing his songs” – shîr: not just singing for joy, but intentional singing of God’s songs—songs of remembrance, lament, and praise.
“God who gives me life” – El Chayyai: “The God of my life,” the One who sustains, revives, and breathes purpose.
1. Go! And Trust God’s Love – Even in the Dark
“Each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me…” (Psalm 42:8a NLT)
Even when we don’t feel it, God’s love is being poured out. The Hebrew word chesed reminds us His love is covenantal—it does not depend on our feelings, our performance, or our present circumstances.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (NLT): “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
Context: Written amid the ruins of Jerusalem, Jeremiah proclaims God’s steadfast love.
Today, our culture is driven by performance-based acceptance—jobs, relationships, even social media likes. But God’s love is not transactional; it is transformational.
Charles Stanley: “God’s love is unchanging. It is not based on your worthiness but on His character.”
As Charles Stanley reminds us, our foundation in the night seasons must be God’s character, not our comfort.
Imagine a lighthouse in a storm. The ship may be tossed by waves, visibility low, but the beam remains steady. God’s love is that lighthouse—it guides, it steadies, it does not flicker out.
2. Go! And Sing His Songs – Worship is Warfare
“…and through each night I sing his songs…” (Psalm 42:8b NLT)
Singing is not just emotional release—it is spiritual warfare. Paul and Silas understood this in prison.
Acts 16:25–26 (NLT): “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening. Suddenly, there was a massive earthquake, and the prison was shaken to its foundations.”
In Philippi, falsely accused, beaten, and chained, they chose to sing. God moved.
Hebrew: shîr - This is the same word used in Psalm 42—songs that pierce the darkness.
John Piper: “Singing is the sound of the soul’s satisfaction in God.”
Worship is not about ignoring pain; it’s declaring God is greater than the pain.
When anxiety keeps you awake at night, sing a psalm, a hymn, or a worship song. Parents—sing over your children’s fears. Believers—sing over your own storms.
There was a young nurse during World War II who, in the midst of the Blitz in London, would sing hymns with patients as bombs fell. Her singing steadied their trembling hearts and reminded them: God is here.
3. Go! And Pray to the God Who Gives Life
“…praying to God who gives me life.” (Psalm 42:8c NLT)
Prayer is the bridge between despair and hope.
Philippians 4:6–7 (NLT): “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.”
Paul writes from prison, yet speaks of peace.
Hebrew : El Chayyai – “God of my life”
He is not only the Creator of life but the Sustainer of it.
Tim Keller: “Prayer is not merely a way to get things from God; it is a way to get God Himself.”
Prayer during the night season draws us closer to the Person of Life—Jesus Christ.
In our modern culture, when problems arise, our instinct is often to Google, to post, to vent, or to binge-watch. But the Psalmist shows us: pray first, sing second, rest third.
The Gospel Connection: Jesus—Our Song in the Night
Psalm 42 ultimately points us to Christ. On the cross, Jesus entered the darkest night of all.
He was forsaken so we could be embraced.
He bore the wrath so we could know chesed—unfailing love.
He died, was buried, and rose again so that our nights can end in dawn.
Romans 5:8 (NLT): “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
The cross is the ultimate proof that God’s love is poured out daily.
A Call to Action:
If you are a believer:
Choose to sing in the night.
Replace midnight worry with midnight worship.
Let God’s chesed anchor your soul.
If you are not yet a follower of Jesus:
Your night will never turn to dawn without Christ.
Repent—turn from your sin.
Trust in Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
Invitation to Salvation:
Jesus said in John 11:25 (NLT): “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.”
Will you believe today? Call upon Him. Confess your sin. Receive His forgiveness. Begin to sing His song.
Benediction:
May the Lord pour His unfailing love upon you each day,
May His song fill your nights,
And may the God who gives life sustain you until the dawn breaks,
Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
