“I cried out to God for help; I cried out to God to hear me. When I was in distress, I sought the Lord; at night I stretched out untiring hands, and I would not be comforted. I remembered you, God, and I groaned; I meditated, and my spirit grew faint. You kept my eyes from closing; I was too troubled to speak…”
“…Your ways, God, are holy. What god is as great as our God? You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples. With your mighty arm you redeemed your people, the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.”
Psalm 77:1-4; 13-15
In the middle of a story it’s hard to trust God for how it will end. When, in the Second World War, the expeditionary force was stranded at Dunkirk, it was impossible to see a British Army returning to Europe to confront Nazi Germany. Despair was a reasonable response. Yet they were rescued and returned to confront Nazi and won the victory.
The writer of this psalm is disorientated; perhaps writing at the time of the Exile, when nation, king, and the temple were all lost. Prayer is leading nowhere: feeling neither heard nor helped, seeking God leaves the writer sleepless, wordless, and comfortless. The psalm reminds us how hard it can be to pray when stuck in the middle of a story. It reminds us that the Bible doesn’t just contain God’s Word to us but also our words to God, including bitter and despairing words. Though unanswered, this lament gives us clues as to how to wait for an answer. In verses 10–13 the writer determines to remember what God has done, as a basis for believing that the despair he was feeling couldn’t be the last word. The Exodus (vv. 16–20) is still real, even in the midst of Exile, and there has to be a way forward even if it’s as yet unperceived (v. 19).
As I write in this new year, this psalm is an uncomfortable one, but it reminds us that the experience of Exile was not God’s final word. Nor will a pandemic be the final word, nor even a war in Europe. As Paul reminds us, God has kept all his promises in Jesus Christ (2 Co 1:20). Just as the psalmist remembered the Exile, so, for us, remembering Jesus, crucified and risen, helps us to respond in praise. However dark the middle of our stories might seem, we rest in the presence of the Lord, who will never leave us nor forsake us.
APPLY
Despair has been closer to many of us over recent years. Alongside your agenda for prayer, record your reasons for thanksgiving and hope in God’s promises.
CLOSING PRAYER
Almighty God, thank you that you are always ready and able to come to my aid. Help me to trust you, no matter what you have in store for me.
(Edited from the book Encounter with God)