Skip to main content

Why I Wish I Had Written Psalm 13

If I'm being honest, there are times I wish I could have written Psalm 13. Check out the boldness with which it starts. 

"O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?" ~Psalm 13:1

If we're thinking through what it takes to write these words down, we realize it comes with a lot of courage...or maybe stupidity. Listen, if this guy believes God exists, he has to believe that God is bigger and more powerful than us humans.* 

Even if you think God has forgotten you, I'm not sure calling Him out in this way is what you want to do. 

via GIPHY

 Especially if your argument for favor from God is going to be based on your good behavior, is that really the kind of attention you want? God knows all. God sees all. It seems like a risk to get God's attention just because you feel life is treating you unfairly at the moment. 

"How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?" ~Psalm 13:2

It may not surprise you to know this Psalm is by David, a guy I'm not sure we'd readily accept in many of our churches. Let's be real, David is probably closer to what we've seen on People of Walmart than anything allowed on a mega-church stage. * ~I'm not advocating everything you see at People of Walmart. It may not be praiseworthy, but it is real. Way. Too. Real. 

"Turn and answer me, O Lord my God! Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die." ~Psalm 13:3

Maybe it's because the idea of talking to God this way smacks of disrespect. Or perhaps it's because I know the 'right' answers. You know, God loves me. God will never leave me in moments of need. God is a refuge in times of trouble.

It's not that the 'right' answers aren't right. It's that I know the answers with my mind, but too often lose the sparkle to my eyes. That's an interesting phrase for a man of war, but it speaks to what excited David. He understood better than many of us that without a heartfelt relationship with God, his spirit would die. 

We all want the conclusion David came to, of course. "I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because he is good to me." ~Psalm 13:5-6

But are we willing to boldly bare our souls and tell God what we're really thinking? Or will we fear looking too desperate? Too broken? Too needy? 

Perhaps too honest? 


*We can leave the question of God's goodness aside here, though I believe the author would agree with that as well.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Accountable

I recently officiated a wedding. The ceremony was simple, lovely, and ended with another couple professing to keep the covenant of marriage. But it all started with a clarification...from me. At our first premarital counseling session, as I have done with every couple I have agreed to marry, I clarified a couple of matters. First, I officiate Christian weddings, where both spouses-to-be are professing Christians. I firmly believe that marriage is difficult enough, without adding disagreements about God into the mix. Second, as a minister of Jesus Christ, I believe the pastor’s role in a wedding is to represent the blessing of God on that union. So we have several sessions of premarital counseling where we discuss married life. It’s not that I have this imaginary card in my head, with a picture of me on the front and my stats on the back. (You know, like a baseball card.) Ok, I do picture cards. Pastor cards! And being a competitive guy, I want my stats to look good. The number of coupl...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Facebook Maybe

Granted, I'm a pastor. I have Type-A tendencies. Ok, my tendencies border on freakish OCD behavior patterns, but... Few things bother me more than the Facebook 'maybe'. I suppose I could go on and on about the grey areas of our society and the refusal of people to accept absolute standards. I could discuss the great need of people to accept that what is wrong for one person is likely wrong for everyone. I should certainly be concerned about mentioning that someone might have sin in their life. But I don't believe the Facebook 'maybe' is quite sin. Perhaps if I were coming up with new sins, I would add this to the list. But alas... Some might think the Facebook 'maybe' did not exist prior to the Internet, but they would be wrong. When I was in high school and asked a girl out on a date, I would normally be told that if they had no other plans, if nobody else called them, if there was nothing good on television and their hair did not need washing, then per...
5 comments
Read more

But I Wanted It

As I've said before , I'm looking for a new place to do youth ministry. Job searching in itself can be a full time task. Unfortunately, no one is paying me to look for a job. And when you haven't had to find a job in 15 years, the whole experience can feel brand new. And nerve-wracking. And quiet. So very, very quiet. I may spend a few hours here and there sending out my resumes and writing cover letters. But the churches I'm sending my information to have their own timeline. And sometimes that timeline does not involve acknowledging my presence. Which is fine, especially if one of the churches I've applied to is reading this right now. I understand those looking for youth pastors will have their own agenda and their own timeline. But it leaves me sitting here with a deafening quiet around me. I am choosing to walk by faith through these days, picturing God working behind the scenes (always behind the scenes) and holding His voice very still, until He is re...
2 comments
Read more