Psalms 69:1 Deliver me, O God, for the water has reached up to my neck.
Many are shouting, “Enough, already!” On social media, people are posting that they are sick and tired of masks, isolation, chaos and injustices. As I cry out to God on my daily walks, I often ask for grace to make it through the emotional storm of the day. I like solutions, but sometimes scripture gives us hard medicine: not every human problem will have a solution. To follow Christ means to suffer injustices, and the salvation we desire may be partial now and complete only in eternity. It is in times of deep crisis that my heart cries, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus. Save us from our arrogance, hatred, and division.” It is humbling to watch chaos grow and read about harsh injustices in so many parts of the world knowing that we can do little but pray. Though I want solutions, God is often asking me to stop, experience the pain with no answer in sight, and cry out in desperation to God. Psalms 69 is helpful to me on two levels: it is a desperate prayer of King David with no solution in sight and as a prophetic, Messianic Psalm, it means that Jesus experienced these feelings as well.
Deliver me, O God, for the water has reached up to my neck. I sink into the mire where there is no solid ground; I am in deep water, and the current overpowers me.
I am exhausted from crying out for help; my throat is sore and my eyes are weary from looking for assistance from God.
Those who hate me without cause are more numerous than the hairs on my head. Those who want to destroy me outnumber me. They make me repay what I did not steal!
My own brothers treat me like a stranger; they act as if I were a foreigner.
I weep and fast, so they insult me. I wear sackcloth and they ridicule me.
At the city gate they gossip about me; drunkards mock me in their songs.
Rescue me from the mire! Don’t let me sink! Deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep water!
I look for sympathy, but receive none, for comfort, but find none.
I am oppressed and suffering; O God, protect and deliver me.
I will sing praises to God’s name! I will magnify the Lord as I give Him thanks.
Yes, this will please the Lord more than a sacrifice.
The oppressed will see it and rejoice. May those who seek God be encouraged as well.
(From Psalms 69)
As broken people, we initially come to Jesus seeking comfort, and that is good; yet, Christianity is much deeper than selfish prayers. Jesus eventually asks us to join Him in His own sufferings. On Earth, Jesus not only suffered on the cross; He suffered daily from gossip, false-testimony, betrayals, unbelief, and mocking. He suffered as the light that was rejected. He suffered with the poor who were being oppressed. He carried this pain to the Father in prayer, and told us, “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” Please read and pray this Psalm for yourself and for others who feel like they are “up to their necks.” Don’t carry this burden yourself, but carry it to God. Then praise Him, not for any earthly solution, but because HE IS OUR SALVATION, now and forever! Amen!