Song: I will praise you
Lyrics:
You created my inward parts;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
You formed me wonderfully in the secret place;
you shaped me and you saw me.
Every day of my life
has a plan and a purpose.
I walk with you on my way,
because you are the One who knows my worth.
And I will praise you,
because you created me.
I will praise you,
because I am your child.
I will praise you
from morning till evening;
I will praise you until the day I come to you.
When I am sitting or standing,
you know my thoughts.
Whether I walk or lie down,
I cannot hide from you.
From the first breath I took
until my last breath,
you know all my ways,
and you delight to be with me.
And when I fail,
you paid the price.
You remember that I am dust,
and you have mercy on me.
Questions and Answers:
1. If God knit me together in my mom’s womb, does that mean my personality and the things I’m good at are a gift from Him?
Yes, exactly. God has a purpose for you in this life, and He equipped you with the personality and gifts you need to fulfill this purpose.
2. The song says God has a plan for every day of my life. How can I figure out what that plan is for today, especially when working feels boring or normal?
Sometimes it is very difficult to see the bigger picture in our lives. Most of the time, we do not. But God gave us His Holy Spirit, who leads us day by day through everyday life, and even the days that feel boring are important, too.
Paul says that we are running a race toward heaven and fullness. I once did a marathon with my bicycle. Sometimes you reach a point where you think, I cannot go one meter further. But then you receive new strength, and the journey goes on.
3. It says God knows all my thoughts. Does that mean He gets disappointed in me when I have a jealous or angry thought about my friends or family?
God does not get disappointed in us, because He knows that we are dust and that there is nothing good in us. He is not surprised when we fail, because He knows that we are sinners and cannot do it right.
But He gave us the option to receive Jesus and to change. The Bible calls it the fruit of the Spirit, when the works of the flesh like jealousy or anger disappear, and instead we receive love, joy, peace, and other virtues in our minds and hearts.
4. The song says I can’t hide from God. Is that a scary thing or a comforting thing when I feel alone or like I’ve messed up?
The question is: why do we want to hide from God? It was foolish of Adam in the Garden of Eden to think that he could hide from God. When God called him, “Adam, where are you?” it was a rhetorical question, because God knew exactly where Adam was.
The question God asked was to give Adam the chance to come out voluntarily, because God did not want to destroy him—He wanted to find a solution to the problem of sin that had entered the Garden.
So, Adam and Eve had to leave the Garden, but God stayed near them and promised a Messiah who would deal with the problem of sin in the future.
5. What does it really mean that God “delights to be with me”? Why would the Creator of the universe enjoy being with people like me?
The Creator of the universe is, first of all, love. That is why the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His beloved Son, that all who believe in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
And later, the Bible says that Jesus died for us while we were still sinners. For hard-hearted people like us, it is difficult to understand, but God is love. He acts through love, and all He desires is that we love Him too.
6. It says God “knows my worth.” How does knowing that change the way I should feel about myself on days I don’t feel good or popular?
We should reflect: if God says that I am wonderfully made and valuable, is there any room for self-hate and low self-esteem? I think not. If we truly come to God and get to know Him, then our relationship with ourselves will improve.
In one verse the Bible says: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” This clearly means that it is not necessary to live an entirely self-sacrificing life, but that we may also have love for ourselves.
7. The song talks about praising God from morning to night. Besides singing, what are some other ways I can praise Him throughout my normal day?
There are many ways:
- speaking positively about Him
- seeking His will
- visiting people who are suffering
- giving thanks for all He has given me
God shows us in every situation how we can praise Him.
8. It says “when I fail, you paid the price.” What was the price, and how does that help me when I feel guilty about my mistakes?
The Bible says clearly: “The wages of sin is death.” This death Jesus paid on the cross.
Sin is not only making a mistake. Sin is a broken relationship with God and being against Him.
When people fell into sin, they became friends with the enemy of God, the devil, and thus became enemies of God. This broken relationship was restored by Jesus through His death on Calvary.
9. What does it mean that God “remembers that I am dust”? Does that mean it’s okay if I’m not perfect?
Yes. When we mess up, God remembers that we cannot do things as we should, and He gives us a helping hand.
John writes: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and cleanses us from every fault.”
10. If God shaped me and knows everything about me, why do I sometimes feel like I don’t know who I am or what I’m supposed to do?
We are on a pilgrim’s journey. When we are in heaven, we will be 100% perfect. Meanwhile, we fall and stand up, fall and stand up, until we see Him in heaven, where He will transform us into His perfect image.
