Suffering and Singing (eBook) by

An uncomfortable but helpful look at Psalm 44

The framework for this book is Psalm 44, which is a song of the Sons of Korah. This book seeks to comfort the reader and show how we can sing in our suffering, as they did back then, but it is not a comfortable psalm. Rather, both the psalmist and the author of this book lean into uncomfortable questions to help us not just avoid the thoughts we struggle with but to help us have confidence even with the difficult questions.

Hazel

Suffering and Singing

‘Suffering and Singing’ is short, focussed and beautifully written, by someone who gets it. Short – The book is only 9 short chapters that take 5–7 minutes each, so it’s easy to read on your phone while commuting, good for devotions, perfect for reading with a friend or loved one who is going through a dark valley right now. Focussed – the whole book unpacks, reflects on and applies just one Psalm, Psalm 44 – probably the darkest song of the Psalter. Have your bible open and dig deep in one Psalm for a few days, you won’t regret it. It may not be perfectly applicable to your current circumstances, but it will prepare you, because struggles will come. Beautifully written – If you are experiencing pain and despair right now, you will know the silence and isolation and the dark clouds of hopelessness that can cast a shadow over everything. John gets that, but without preaching cold, cerebral truths devoid of humanity, it feels like he draws alongside, walks with you and gently points you to the one who perfectly understands our pain and loves us beyond comprehension. ‘Suffering and singing’ doesn’t specifically consider the singing of Psalm 44 and how singing songs of lament should function in the church today. It is also not a book that will offer any musician wisdom for their craft, but it will help us all to begin considering afresh the important role of lament in our lives and our congregational singing.

Andy Fenton, music–ministry.org

Suffering and Singing

Although a small book, ‘Suffering and Singing’ is a powerful, sensitive and insightful examination of the pain and reality of suffering. Hindley carefully, and with great empathy, considers the real agonies that come with knowing God to be powerful enough to stop our pain but still allowing suffering in so many different ways. Rather than offering an apologetic that addresses theological concepts and questions, Hindley walks his reader through psalm 44 as a means of considering our good God who allows his people to go through trials. I love the way that Hindley handles the Bible in this book. He is careful to give us the context into which psalm 44 was written, and so we are able to see how these words written centuries previously can offer truth and comfort for us now. While helping us understand the original writer’s situation, Hindley never loses touch with the confusing and painful realities of what it is to suffer now. I really appreciated his genuine and gentle tone throughout the book that showed he really does understand what it is to suffer and wrestle with God’s sovereignty in the midst of it all. While being primarily a book for Christians, Hindley gives us gospel clarity and calls us to run to King Jesus – whether we are believers or not. Questions that arise from the difficulty of why God allows us to suffer are met with wonderful assurances of it all being a testimony to God’s unchanging love for his people. Hindley is presenting truths that are difficult to accept and which we can struggle to believe, but as he persuades us from the Bible and points us towards our suffering saviour Jesus Christ, we come to love that God is ‘with us, behind us and before us’. A brilliant book that I wouldn’t hesitate to give to believing friends, but also to the unbeliever who wants to understand how a Christian can trust God amidst terrible trials. I think this is the most sensitive handling of the topic I have come across. It is wonderfully anchored in the truths of psalm 44 and HIndley’s careful and eloquent style brings great clarity and comfort.

Felicity Patterson

A brilliant book

Although a small book, ‘Suffering and Singing’ is a powerful, sensitive and insightful examination of the pain and reality of suffering. Hindley carefully, and with great empathy, considers the real agonies that come with knowing God to be powerful enough to stop our pain but still allowing suffering in so many different ways. Rather than offering an apologetic that addresses theological concepts and questions, Hindley walks his reader through psalm 44 as a means of considering our good God who allows his people to go through trials. I love the way that Hindley handles the Bible in this book. He is careful to give us the context into which psalm 44 was written, and so we are able to see how these words written centuries previously can offer truth and comfort for us now. While helping us understand the original writer’s situation, Hindley never loses touch with the confusing and painful realities of what it is to suffer now. I really appreciated his genuine and gentle tone throughout the book that showed he really does understand what it is to suffer and wrestle with God’s sovereignty in the midst of it all. While being primarily a book for Christians, Hindley gives us gospel clarity and calls us to run to King Jesus – whether we are believers or not. Questions that arise from the difficulty of why God allows us to suffer are met with wonderful assurances of it all being a testimony to God’s unchanging love for his people. Hindley is presenting truths that are difficult to accept and which we can struggle to believe, but as he persuades us from the Bible and points us towards our suffering saviour Jesus Christ, we come to love that God is ‘with us, behind us and before us’. A brilliant book that I wouldn’t hesitate to give to believing friends, but also to the unbeliever who wants to understand how a Christian can trust God amidst terrible trials. I think this is the most sensitive handling of the topic I have come across. It is wonderfully anchored in the truths of psalm 44 and HIndley’s careful and eloquent style brings great clarity and comfort.

Felicity Patterson

Suffering and Singing

Suffering can be terrible, it comes to us all to one degree or another and it comes from the hand of a loving, all–powerful God. But why would he appear to reject his people? Hindley doesn’t claim to be an expert on suffering, but takes us to the real testimony of the sons of Korah in Psalm 44, who managed to praise their God whilst looking their pain full in the face and asking hard questions. This book is a powerful reminder that God’s people share in the sufferings of the Son he loves and suffer for his sake, with the goal of eternal glory. There is nothing trivial about your suffering or your questions, and there is nothing trivial about the answers this short book offers you. It may even enable you, with a quivering voice, to sing in your suffering.

Sally Gobbett

Powerful

Suffering can be terrible, it comes to us all to one degree or another and it comes from the hand of a loving, all–powerful God. But why would he appear to reject his people? Hindley doesn’t claim to be an expert on suffering, but takes us to the real testimony of the sons of Korah in Psalm 44, who managed to praise their God whilst looking their pain full in the face and asking hard questions. This book is a powerful reminder that God’s people share in the sufferings of the Son he loves and suffer for his sake, with the goal of eternal glory. There is nothing trivial about your suffering or your questions, and there is nothing trivial about the answers this short book offers you. It may even enable you, with a quivering voice, to sing in your suffering.