--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God…" description: "\"“This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God for testing his covenant people, for refining them under the pressure of some extraordinarily difficult circ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/d-a-carson-2-12097_difficult-circumstan_this-is-stunning-the-psalmist-thanks-god_2563362.jpg" --- # This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God for testing his… ![“This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God for testing his covenant people, for refining them under the pressure of some extraordinarily difficult circumstances and for sustaining them through that experience. This is the response of perceptive, godly faith. It is not heard on the lips of those who…” quote by D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/d-a-carson-2-12097_difficult-circumstan_this-is-stunning-the-psalmist-thanks-god_2563362.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/d-a-carson-2-12097_difficult-circumstan_this-is-stunning-the-psalmist-thanks-god_2563362.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f24/d-a-carson-2-12097_difficult-circumstan_this-is-stunning-the-psalmist-thanks-god_2563362.jpg) > ““This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God for testing his covenant people, for refining them under the pressure of some extraordinarily difficult circumstances and for sustaining them through that experience. This is the response of perceptive, godly faith. It is not heard on the lips of those who thank God only when they escape trial or are feeling happy”” [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True faith endures testing, not just gratitude in easy times; it refines believers. **In simple terms:** Faith is proven in hardship, not comfort. Key Takeaway Seek growth through trials, not just thankfulness. Themes faith testing spiritual growth resilience theology Mood solemn hopeful Type theological encouraging When to use this quote - mission work - personal hardship - community support - spiritual disciplines Key Concepts Doctrine of perseverance psychology of suffering spiritual formation Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when trials feel overwhelming? - What practices sustain faith during difficulty? A Different Perspective Hardships can cause despair; not all endure the same. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Difficult circumstances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-circumstances/) [Feeling happy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-happy/) [God Testing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-testing-1048800/) [Psalmist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psalmist-664374/) [Psalmist Thanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psalmist-thanks-1626443/) [Stunning Psalmist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stunning-psalmist-1626444/) [Thank god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thank-god/) [Thanks god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thanks-god/) ## Related quotes > [The Christian should be able to say with the psalmist, 'Oh, how I love your law.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-christian-should-be-able-to-say-with-the-psalmist-oh-how-i-love/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“The Psalmist believed in a personal God, and knew nothing of that modern pantheism which is nothing more than atheism wearing a fig leaf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/the-psalmist-believed-in-a-personal-god-and-knew-nothing-of-that/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [Death, as the Psalmist saith, is certain to all, all shall die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/death-as-the-psalmist-saith-is-certain-to-all-all-shall-die/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“The Scripture also speaks plainly of such a knowledge of the word of God as has been described, as the immediate gift of God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-scripture-also-speaks-plainly-of-such-a-knowledge-of-the-word-of/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“I pray that the pining and panting of the psalmist becomes the reality of your life. I pray that your heart aches for Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-gimour/i-pray-that-the-pining-and-panting-of-the-psalmist-becomes-the/) [Eric Gimour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-gimour/) > [Is not Precedent indeed a King of men? A Word from the Psalmist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/is-not-precedent-indeed-a-king-of-men-a-word-from-the-psalmist/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“Worship in many churches is a spectator sport. If we listen to the commands of the psalmist, our worship will radically change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tremper-longman-iii/worship-in-many-churches-is-a-spectator-sport-if-we-listen-to-the/) [Tremper Longman III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tremper-longman-iii/) > [“if we follow the example of the psalmist The Psalms are an honest expression of emotions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tremper-longman-iii/if-we-follow-the-example-of-the-psalmist-the-psalms-are-an-honest/) [Tremper Longman III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tremper-longman-iii/) > [The Lord 'hath set His tabernacle in the sun,' says the Psalmist. The sun is Mary's heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-julian-eymard/the-lord-hath-set-his-tabernacle-in-the-sun-says-the-psalmist-the-sun/) [Peter Julian Eymard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-julian-eymard/) > [Of all the thoughts of God that are Borne inward unto souls afar, Along the Psalmist's music deep, Now tell me if that any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/of-all-the-thoughts-of-god-that-are-borne-inward-unto-souls-afar/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“Any peace, rest and quiet we have is from this alone. Who would be safe if wicked men had power to perform all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/any-peace-rest-and-quiet-we-have-is-from-this-alone-who-would-be-safe/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [God is testing me in so many areas and I intend to pass my tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-is-testing-me-in-so-many-areas-and-i-intend-to-pass-my-tests/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When trials come upon you do not fear. Satan is tempting you to fret, and discouraging you. Do not give in to the enemy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/when-trials-come-upon-you-do-not-fear-satan-is-tempting-you-to-fret/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [Feeling very disenchanted. God is testing me and I do well in tests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/feeling-very-disenchanted-god-is-testing-me-and-i-do-well-in-tests/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God is testing me right now and I'm going to show him I'm still behind him, no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-is-testing-me-right-now-and-i-m-going-to-show-him-i-m-still/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by D.A. Carson > [“again. Here is a sober lesson. Even after times of spectacular revival, reformation, or covenantal renewal, the people of God are never more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/again-here-is-a-sober-lesson-even-after-times-of-spectacular-revival/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Looking closely at what these young people believe, one discovers that they have evidently never been taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. The absence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/looking-closely-at-what-these-young-people-believe-one-discovers-that/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“If chastening were merely a matter of remedial education to morally neutral people, the timing and severity would not matter very much; we would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/if-chastening-were-merely-a-matter-of-remedial-education-to-morally/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The initial impetus to cross lines of race and heritage with the Gospel of Jesus Christ arose not from a committee planning world evangelization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-initial-impetus-to-cross-lines-of-race-and-heritage-with-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The greatest intercessors have always recognized that far more connects them with the common lot of sinners than what distinguishes them—and in any case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-greatest-intercessors-have-always-recognized-that-far-more/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“we cannot imagine that the church gathers for worship on Sunday morning if by this we mean that we then engage in something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/we-cannot-imagine-that-the-church-gathers-for-worship-on-sunday/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Be patient; it is better to be a chastened saint than a carefree sinner.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/be-patient-it-is-better-to-be-a-chastened-saint-than-a-carefree-sinner/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Where there is flagrant disavowal of the truths essential to the gospel, where there is persistent and high-handed disobedience to the commands of Jesus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/where-there-is-flagrant-disavowal-of-the-truths-essential-to-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“To appeal…to some ill-defined and sentimental notion of love as the ground for contravening Scripture may be a lot of things, but it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/to-appeal-to-some-ill-defined-and-sentimental-notion-of-love-as-the/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“In a world of finite gods (often supported by one pantheistic deity), cyclical views of history, sub-biblical understandings of sin, multiplied idolatry, dualism that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/in-a-world-of-finite-gods-often-supported-by-one-pantheistic-deity/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“genuinely righteous people invariably become more aware of their personal guilt and need for forgiveness than those who have become so foul and hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/genuinely-righteous-people-invariably-become-more-aware-of-their/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“By the time of the Mosaic covenant, the peace offering (Lev 17:11ff.) was the divinely prescribed means of maintaining a harmonious relationship between God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/by-the-time-of-the-mosaic-covenant-the-peace-offering-lev-17-11ff-was/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“The truth of the matter is that meeting God is either transcendentally wonderful, or utterly horrific. If God meets sinners—sinners like you and me—in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/the-truth-of-the-matter-is-that-meeting-god-is-either/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Christians do not restrict their moral horizons to immediate results; they make their ethical decisions from an eternal perspective (p. 52).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/christians-do-not-restrict-their-moral-horizons-to-immediate-results/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) > [“Forbearance and genuine tenderheartedness are much tougher than niceness, and sometimes…tough love is confrontational (p. 54).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson-2/forbearance-and-genuine-tenderheartedness-are-much-tougher-than/) [D.A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) [Explore all 56 D.A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson-2/) ## More Difficult circumstances quotes > [“If what I reading has the power to grip me, I can read under the most difficult circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-moers/if-what-i-reading-has-the-power-to-grip-me-i-can-read-under-the-most/) [Walter Moers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-moers/) > [You can poke fun at some pretty difficult circumstances, and it's just a way to pop the bubble. I don't do that thing onstage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-regan/you-can-poke-fun-at-some-pretty-difficult-circumstances-and-it-s-just/) [Brian Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-regan/) > [Yes, there are bad apples, but I do feel journalists do a good job, often in very difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-barton/yes-there-are-bad-apples-but-i-do-feel-journalists-do-a-good-job/) [Fiona Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-barton/) > [The need to be loved and protected is at a peak when we feel abandoned and are particularly vulnerable to difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uta-hagen/the-need-to-be-loved-and-protected-is-at-a-peak-when-we-feel/) [Uta Hagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uta-hagen/) > [My films are motivated by a keen interest in highlighting issues that affect marginalized populations who are caught in difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/my-films-are-motivated-by-a-keen-interest-in-highlighting-issues-that/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [We accept that sometimes in difficult circumstances, difficult things happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/we-accept-that-sometimes-in-difficult-circumstances-difficult-things/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [“With God’s help, good cheer permits us to rise above the depressing present or difficult circumstances. … It is sunshine when clouds block the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/with-god-s-help-good-cheer-permits-us-to-rise-above-the-depressing/) [Marvin J. Ashton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [We human beings can survive the most difficult of circumstances if we are not forced to stand alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dobson/we-human-beings-can-survive-the-most-difficult-of-circumstances-if-we/) [James Dobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dobson/) > [ I may not agree with everything, but our President, just like President \[George W.\] Bush did, is trying to do his best under difficult… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/i-may-not-agree-with-everything-but-our-president-just-like-president/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [I was in fact anxious about whether I would be any good at being a father. And then I met so many people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-was-in-fact-anxious-about-whether-i-would-be-any-good-at-being-a/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [People have the natural capacity to affirm and embrace life in the most difficult of circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-naomi-remen/people-have-the-natural-capacity-to-affirm-and-embrace-life-in-the/) [Rachel Naomi Remen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-naomi-remen/) > [“do not have to worry about my friend’s judgment of me. Instead of responding out of anger, I can rest in God’s judgment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-anderson/do-not-have-to-worry-about-my-friend-s-judgment-of-me-instead-of/) [Hannah Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-anderson/) > [“While it is a convenient construct to divide hope into a cognitive and an affective component, the two are tightly coupled. Feelings and emotions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-groopman/while-it-is-a-convenient-construct-to-divide-hope-into-a-cognitive/) [Jerome Groopman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-groopman/) > [I don't think any of the journalists in 'Broadchurch' are villainous. I think they're all trying to do their jobs under difficult circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/i-don-t-think-any-of-the-journalists-in-broadchurch-are-villainous-i/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [“Sometimes the best way to solve a difficult situation is by using a soft approach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/sometimes-the-best-way-to-solve-a-difficult-situation-is-by-using-a/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) [Browse all 91 Difficult circumstances quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-circumstances/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“This is stunning. The psalmist thanks God for testing his covenant people, for refining them under the pressure of some extraordinarily difficult circumstances and for sustaining them through that experience. This is the response of perceptive, godly faith. 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