“Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” Acts 16:25
So, what is a “midnight praise” you may ask? A midnight praise is when you praise God even in a moment when everything’s gone wrong. In fact, a midnight praise is kind of an oxymoron, because it’s those moments that you feel the least like praising God, but you do it anyway. After all, to “praise” means you’re celebrating something good or great that’s happened.
Paul and Silas were simply doing what they had been sent by God to do; to share the Good News. However, everything went wrong, and they found themselves beaten in the public square and thrown into the depths of the prison. Yet, in spite of all those circumstances, they decided, even in their chains and bleeding, they would sing and praise the Lord.
I used the think the earthquake that followed was God trying to get them out of the prison because “their chains fell off,” when in fact the earthquake wasn’t the effect of God trying to get them out, but rather the effect of God coming in. Psalm 22:3 says, “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” The word “inhabitest”means live at, dwell at, or abide at. In other words, the earthquake came because God was “moving in.” It’s impossible to move into a place and not make some commotion. Bringing in the sofas, beds, dresser etc., makes a lot of commotion. When God “moved in” it caused an earthquake, and their chains fell off.
Another interesting point about the midnight praise is that it had a major impact on others. The prisoners who listened to Paul and Silas praising God didn’t escape, although they could have, and the Roman Officer in charge gave his heart and life to the Lord and his whole family was saved.
Remember today, when you’re faced with disappointment or trial, let out a midnight praise. It’s the quickest way to cause God to move in on your situation, and you never know who’s listening and watching.