I am passionate about the importance of congregational singing, so much that I've written articles and a book (The Songs of the Saints) about the topic. I believe Christians need to understand why we sing and learn to sing good songs well. Psalm 92 is the only psalm dedicated to the Sabbath and it gives us something to sing about when we meet as God's saved people.

The psalmist begins by acknowledging that it's good to praise God (v. 1). When we sing, we preach! We proclaim His love and faithfulness (v. 2). God demonstrated these twin virtues in two ways. First, in His great works (v. 5). This psalm doesn't specify exactly the Lord's wonderful saving deeds for His people (see Psalm 136), but those who remembered Israel's history knew them. The Lord is also praised for His profound thoughts (v. 5). In a similar context of salvation and blessing, Isaiah also blesses God, whose ways and thoughts are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:6-13).

The psalmist now gives two examples of God's great works. They are seen, firstly, in the destruction of His enemies. God's enemies are also the psalmist's enemies. For a while, they may seem to have the upper hand, but ultimately, they will perish (Psalm 92:6-9). Secondly, the righteous will be lifted up. Like the horn of an ox, he will know strength, and he will experience joy and refreshment as with fine oils poured on him (v. 10).

The theme of the flourishing of the righteous marks the final part of the psalm (vv. 12-15). With words reminiscent of Psalm 1, the psalmist celebrates the joy of flourishing in God's presence. He likens the prosperity of the righteous to the palm tree and the cedar. Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman notes that both the palm tree and the cedar were represented in the temple. The temple was built of cedar (1 Kings 5), and it contained symbols of the palm tree (6:29). As Longman says, ″the righteous themselves flourish in the presence of God″.

We have come a long way from the bleak and complaining laments of Psalms 88 and 89. Such psalms are necessary because they remind us of how difficult it can be to keep trusting God in the midst of suffering and frustration. But now, with Psalms 91 and 92, light has dawned on the psalmist's dark night of the soul. Whatever our situation, ″it is good to praise the Lord″ (Psalm 92:1) and put into words why God is worthy of our praise. When we sing, we are both praising God and proclaiming to Him and to one another, ″the Lord is upright; he is my Rock″ (v. 15).