It is hardwired into us to cry out for help when we are in distress. The only difference between people is who they cry out to, and the circumstances during which they cry out.
Children cry out to parents when they are upset or hurt. older children cry out to friends or siblings. As adults we tend to cry out for our loved ones in times of distress or pain.
But in the times of our deepest distress, of our deepest anguish, of our deepest trauma’s - who do we call out to, what do we turn to for help?
Some turn to some deity, or divine figure, others turn to the bottom of a bottle of alcohol, or to drugs (or any other addictive behaviour) to ease the pain they feel.
Others, those who deeply trust in and place all their hope in God (Yahweh) they cry out to HIM in the moment of their greatest trial. King David is one of those, and he reveals his feelings, his concerns and his faith in Psalm 28.
Psalm 28 - A Psalm of David says….
Verses 1-2: “I pray to you, O Lord, my rock. Do not turn a deaf ear to me.
For if you are silent, I might as well give up and die. Listen to my prayer for mercy as I cry out to you for help, as I lift my hands toward your holy sanctuary.”
Immediately King David turns his attention to God. He cries out to God in the moment of his anguish. This shows a close and trusting relationship with Yahweh.
David cries out for God not to be silent, to hear his prayer, his cries for help.
Even while he is crying out to God, David recognised that God is merciful - a key characteristic of God that is directly linked with God’s provision and protection of those that believe in HIM.
This is why David lifts his hands to heaven - not the sanctuary in the Temple, as the Temple hadn’t been built yet. David is fully aware that God has HIS holy presence in heaven, and that God’s residence in heaven is holy.
This is something important for us to emulate in our own lives. In our deepest troubles, when the pain is too great and threatens to drown us - we need to turn our attention to God, and HIS holy presence - and not towards things of this world, not to people of this world (especially to those who are celebrity fugures both inside and outside of the church), not even to the church. Our first and foremost choice should be turning to God - in the full knowledge that God is merciful and loves you.
The lifting of one’s hands towards heaven and towards God is part of the act of worship. Worshiping God needs to be a part of our response to suffering as much as crying out to HIM is.
Verses 3-5: “Do not drag me away with the wicked—with those who do evil—
those who speak friendly words to their neighbors while planning evil in their hearts. Give them the punishment they so richly deserve! Measure it out in proportion to their wickedness. Pay them back for all their evil deeds! Give them a taste of what they have done to others. They care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what his hands have made. So he will tear them down, and they will never be rebuilt!”
In these few verses David outlines the evil he sees in action around him and his kingdom, as well as those that are closest to him within his nation.
The evils that David identifies are lying, hatred, violence, conspiracies, greed and the most important feature of evil that he identifies is - they care nothing for the LORD (God).
David then asks God to punish them for their evil deeds. This is a normal human repsonse to evil being perpetrated against us, our families and against the innocents all around the world. We can ask the same of God, in our own circumstances.
Verses 6-8: “Praise the Lord! For he has heard my cry for mercy. The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving. The Lord gives his people strength. He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.”
After pleading for God to act against evil, King david turns his attention back to praising and worshipping God.
It is interesting that David is now stating that God has indeed heard his prayer and his cries of help. This is a statement of fact which he follows up by further exclamations of how the character and nature of God mpacts on his life.
David talks about joy - how of us can honestly say our lives are full of joy. Perhaps it is because we focus too much on our circumstances, and not on the mericiful, righteous and always loving nature of God.
If we turn to God, HE will give us HIS strength to make it through our turmoil - day by day until we come out the other side of the storm.
IF…and only IF…we place our trust in God, our full and complete trust in God - then HE can become a fortress to us. A fortress is not just a place to hide in safely, that is only one of it’s many uses. It is also a place from whch an attack can be carried out. It means that with God’s help we can go back on the attack, and move against our spiritual enemies. But only with God’s help and security, it is not something we can achieve in our own strength.
Verse 9: “Save your people! Bless Israel, your special possession. Lead them like a shepherd, and carry them in your arms forever.”
The incredible fact of this verse written down by King David over 3000 years ago is that this same cry goes out from the Jewish nation of Israel even today. It shows that Satan is at work still to this day, trying to destroy God’s chosen people (whom we the Gentile church have been grafted into).
David ends this psalm by calling out to God to save HIS people, to bless them and to provide them with food, shelter and protection, just like a shepherd does.
We can, and should be asking God for the same thing. We can ask for God’s protection, HIS provision and HIS guidance - because we too are HIS beloved people because we believe in HIS son Jesus (Yeshua).
I pray that whatever turbulent times you find yourself in that you turn and cry out to God like David did. may you place all of your trust in HIM who is merciful, who is gracious, who is your source of protection and peace. May you call upon the name of God and let HIM be your fortress in times of trouble, just as HE proved to be for King David.