A Hymn Sung in the Midnight
Psalm 22:3
“Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.”
Hebrew folk songs and worship music are often written not in major keys, but in minor keys. This gives them a tone already imbued with sorrow—much like the deep han (lament) found in traditional Korean folk music. Even songs with fast tempos are frequently in minor keys. These melodies often begin in sorrow but gradually accelerate, sometimes becoming lively dance songs.
A well-known example is the Hebrew folk song “Hava Nagila,” composed in the early 20th century. Popularized by the New Jersey-born singer Connie Francis, it became widely known in Korea during the 1960s and 70s. Hava Nagila means “Let us rejoice together” in Hebrew. It is sung joyfully at celebrations, accompanied by dancing—yet it, too, is in a minor key.
Similarly, the familiar Hebrew gospel song,
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, I dance and sing,”
is also composed in a minor key. Perhaps this reflects the foundation of Hebrew spirituality: praising God who transforms sorrow into joy.
There is a poem by Jung Ho-seung titled “I Refuse Hope,” which introduces this “spirituality of sorrow”:
I refuse hope without despair
There is no hope in hope itself
Hope is closer to anger than to joy
I have gained hope through despair
Never through hope itself
I refuse hope without despair
Hope exists because there is despair
Hope without despair is not hope
It is more important to hold the hand of despair
than to grasp the hand of hope first
There is despair within hope
I desire first the despair of hope
When the despair of hope becomes hope,
then I love you
To say “I refuse hope” is paradoxical, yet it contains truth.
What is “hope without hope”?
It refers to a situation where everything is good, where there is no suffering or despair. In such a condition, there is no need for hope—no need to change, to strive, or to long for something better.
Hope is born in hardship, in negative circumstances.
It exists to overcome despair. That is why it is said to be closer to anger than to joy.
“To hold the hand of despair first” means that even within despair, we must seek hope.
Hope belongs to the future tense.
It does not fully exist in the present. We live in a state of lack, and hope always stands at some distance from the present—whether near or far.
That is why it is said:
“There is despair within hope.”
The poem concludes with this confession:
“When the despair of hope becomes hope, then I love you.”
This is the very heart of David in Psalm 22.
He introduces the psalm as:
A song set to “Aijeleth Shahar”—
meaning “The Deer of the Dawn.”
It reminds us of Noh Cheon-myeong’s poem “The Deer”:
“O creature sorrowful because your neck is long.”
David cries out in helplessness, abandoned and without aid:
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (v.1)
(Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani)
These are the very words Jesus spoke on the cross—the cry of the suffering righteous.
The psalm continues (vv.12–21) as the prayer of one abandoned even to the point of death.
This is a song sung in the midnight.
And a song sung in the midnight is the true song—
because, as the poet says, it is “holding the hand of despair first.”
It is turning to God in the deepest darkness.
The “praises of Israel” are precisely such songs—
songs sung in the midnight.
And in those songs,
the Holy One dwells among them.
He hears the songs we sing in our suffering.
And in time, He leads us into hope.
There is a story of a British soldier sent to the African jungle.
His entire unit was surrounded and wiped out, and he alone survived. People assumed all had perished. But six months later, he emerged from the jungle alive.
When rescuers found him, they noticed he tightly held a piece of paper. They thought,
“He survived because he had a map of the jungle.”
But when they looked closely, it was not a jungle map—
it was a map of the London Underground.
He had drawn it himself and looked at it continually, refusing to give up.
The Gospel works like this.
It enables us to see hope in the midst of despair.
Hope gains its true meaning only when it is lived out in action.
That is why Scripture says:
“Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Hope gives birth to faith,
and faith, when acted upon, bears fruit.
And:
“Hope does not put us to shame.” (Romans 5:5)
Prayer
O God,
Let me first take hold of the hand of despair.
Let the despair within hope become true hope.
And let me love You more and more.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
