Psalm 34:1
"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."
The story was about Paul and Silas, and how they were imprisoned for preaching Jesus Christ and for doing good works. The community of religious folk didn't like it, especially when they rebuked the spirit of seer that followed them (the one that made the religious fold rich because of her fore-knowledege).
So when Paul and Silas were in prison, after having been beaten, and they started praising God. I'm sure prison's aren't the quietest places on earth, and probably the same that night. But they still praised God in song.
When the earthquake started, I wonder who the first prisoner was that realized that the singing of the preacher was setting them free? I know it was only God that kept them there, that's for sure. The presence of God is so sweet, whether in prison or on vacation.
Then the guard charged in, thought the prisoners had escaped, and was ready to take his own life. This was common back then, as you would have to forfeit your life for the one who kept his. At that moment, Paul and Silas let him know that they were all still there - a miracle in and of itself. The guard was baptized that night, and if I am not mistaken, received the Holy Ghost as well.
The whole moral of the story is that, while most of us would whine and groan when in that same predicament, whether it be because of doing bad or doing good. Paul and Silas chose to praise God, and not just worry about themselves. Because they chose to do so, an entire prison got to experience God's awesome power (not only were Paul & Silas set free, the entire prison was), and at the very least, the guard came to the knowledge of Christ.
What a blessing we can be if we would just be more concerned with God than our own selves.
