Anyone can sing when times are good. When life is full, we draw inspiration easily. With plenty around us, we find it natural to praise God for a bountiful harvest. An Aeolian harp sounds beautiful when the wind blows, but real skill is in making music when no wind stirs.

It's easy to sing in the light, but skill comes from singing from the heart when there is no light. No one can create a song in the night alone. We might try, but a true song in tough times must come from God. When life is smooth, I can make songs from the flowers along my path. But in the desert, with no signs of life, how can I offer praise?

How can a mortal fashion a crown for God with no jewels? When I'm healthy and strong, it's easy to sing God's praise. But silence my tongue, put me on a sickbed, and I need God's help to sing at all. It's not within me to sing in adversity unless God provides the inspiration.

It was God who inspired Habakkuk to sing a divine song. Even when the fig tree didn't blossom, and there was no fruit or livestock, he still rejoiced, finding joy in the God of his salvation. Since God provides songs in the night, let's seek Him for our music. O chief musician, let us not remain silent in hard times, but let our lips sing with thanksgiving.