Candid Conversations With God

“Answer me, O Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.”
Psalm 69:16-18  

The book of Psalms is often thought of as a rejoice-filled collection of thanksgiving-oriented songs. And while this is largely true every now and there is a psalm that contains less enthusiasm and more earnestness - a psalm that seeks to convey the personal concerns that vexed the heart of the writer. Psalm 69 is one such example. This hymn of David is a candid confession of the emotions, both great and lowly, that the human experience offers. In this life, we find joy and we find pain. We encounter victory and we encounter defeat. In one moment we can sense the nearness of God and then turn away and sense a distance from God. As a result, the assorted sentiments emit a panorama of attitudes and declarations from our soul. 

Psalm 69 articulates a dire set of conditions. David likened his position to being engulfed by torrential waters (69:1). There are many circumstances which can cause believers to feel like we are emotionally adrift at sea, struggling to stay afloat. There is certainly no easy remedy for adversity, other than to say that we must maintain our devotion and trust in God, no matter what. But this does not always guarantee an immediate removal of affliction or calamity. In fact, David wrote in Psalm 69 that he called out to God for help for so long and so hard that his voice was hoarse, implying relief was not quick in coming (69:3). But even in the enduring discomfort David declared that his zeal for the Lord was unwavering (69:9)     

Wisdom, patience, and depth bring about an awareness of the consequences of our choices. And so David rightly asked God for guidance, and no one else, according to Psalm 69:16. In faith, he was able to think and see beyond his predicament and praise God. In faith, David openly shared his thoughts with God and asked for the Lord to redirect him if need be. It is nothing short of incredible that the Maker of the world would choose, out of the goodness of His love, to communicate with mankind, and receive our candid conversations. He does not tire of us. He does lose not sight of us. He, the immortal, eternal God longs to commune with us daily. Truly, God is supreme.

This reality yields hope because God is a relational God. He desires for His creation to be honest and open with Him. He wants us to express our shame and our song. He wants us to vocalize our glee and our guilt. The Lord does not ask that we hide our feelings. He established a means in prayer by which we can express everything to Him and embrace His supernatural counsel, affection, and grace. In Him, we can receive the strength to tarry on in this ordeal-ridden life - a life given and guided by God. This life is not without hardships or pain. But no matter where we find ourselves we must always remember that God has the power, and longing, to rescue us spiritually.