Berean Playlist #1 Trading My Sorrows

See my blog post: On Being Berean, Part 2 for context on this series.
I'm Trading My Sorrows, video

I'm starting what could potentially be a series with this song because it may be Todd Friel's number one song to pick on and abuse. I am not starting with this song because it is my all-time favorite number one worship song.

Is the song biblical? These are the verses that come to mind--directly or indirectly--when examining the lyrics:

Romans 5:3,4,5
Romans 8:18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,
2 Corinthians1:3,4, 5,6, 7, 18, 19, 21
2 Corinthians 4:7,8,9,10,11,12,13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18
2 Corinthians 12:8,9,10,
Philippians 4:4,5-7
James 1:2,3,4; 12;
1 Peter 1:3,4,5,6,7,8,9
1 Peter 3:15,16,17,18,
Psalms 30:5, 11; 37:4; 59:16; 90:14, 40:3, 96:1; Psalm 42:2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11
Nehemiah 8:10

The lyrics:

I'm trading my sorrows
I'm trading my shame
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord
I'm trading my sickness
I'm trading my pain
I'm laying them down
For the joy of the Lord
---
I'm pressed but not crushed
Persecuted not abandoned
Struck down but not destroyed
I'm blessed beyond the curse
For his promise will endure
And His joy's gonna be my strength
Though the sorrow may last for the night
His joy comes with morning
---
The chorus:
And we say, "Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes, Lord
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes Lord
Yes Lord, yes Lord, yes, yes, Lord Amen"

The verses clearly are biblical. I think the chorus is biblical too. But not as clearly so. I believe the chorus is ALL about saying YES, Lord, YOUR WILL--not mine--be done. Yes, LORD, I'll praise you no matter the circumstance. Yes, Lord, have your way with me. Yes, Lord, teach me what you will. I'm yours. I surrender to You. I trust You to work this for my good. YOU are for me and not against me. That's my interpretation anyway.

Is the song repetitive? A thousand times yes. Are all the la, la, la, la, la, la, las necessary? Do they actually add any biblical content to the song? No. Of course not. As recorded on the album, the song is a little over six minutes. And it repeats a great deal--the verses and the chorus. And then there's all the la-las.

Does the song use "I" "me" "my" "mine"? Yes. But so do 100+ Psalms. Unless you're willing to throw out the book of Psalms from the Bible, this isn't a valid reason to reject a song.

But trimmed down to two or three minutes, I believe this song is worth singing in churches.  (Not every week certainly.) Primarily because I think most--if not all--members of a congregation can relate to feeling sorrow, to feeling shame, to being weighed down with sickness and pain, to feeling pressed, persecuted, and struck down. We do not need reminders to grumble, to complain, to whine, to feel sorry for ourselves. We do need reminders to REJOICE IN THE LORD, to praise the Lord and bless his name, to be grateful, to prize KNOWING GOD above any other earthly treasure. We're fallen creatures who need reminders of why we have HOPE.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible