I Cry Aloud To The Lord

I cry aloud to the Lord; I lift up my voice to the Lord for mercy. I pour out before him my complaint; before him I tell my trouble.

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way. In the path where I walk people have hidden a snare for me. Look and see, there is no one at my right hand; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life.

I cry to you, Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.”

Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name. Then the righteous will gather about me because of your goodness to me.

Psalm 142:1-7

No one cared for David. David’s pain wasn’t all exaggerated. David had good reason to feel abandoned. He wrote the words for this psalm in a cave. He had hidden from Saul, who had pursued him with murderous plans. David had been anointed as Israel’s future king, had spent years in Saul’s service, but now he live “on the move.” He was always in fear of his life. In the midst of the loneliness David felt, he cried out to God as his “refuge.”

Like David, we can cry out to God when we feel alone, giving voice to our feelings in the safety of His love. God never minimizes our loneliness. He wants to be our companion in the dark caves of our lives. Even when we think no one cares for our life, God cares!

God is our friend in seasons of loneliness.

Our Daily Bread – May 26, 2018