“I have been afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; I suffer Your terrors; I am distraught. Your fierce wrath has gone over me; Your terrors have cut me off. They came around me all day long like water; They engulf me altogether” (vv.15-17)
Some have called this psalm, "the dark night of the soul,” because it doesn’t end on an up-beat note. It is possibly the only psalm that ends without a solution or any relief. It was written by the son of Korah, who had been ill or injured since his youth (verse 15), and was struggling with God’s failure to answer his prayer for healing. Even though he did not understand God’s ways, he kept turning to God in trust.
Sometimes events in life are clouded this side of heaven and things happen that do not add up in our minds. Other times things happen that don’t seem right, as in our text of the psalmist suffering from depression sense his youth. And even though we find no indication of God hearing his cry, silence is sometimes His answer. And if we must continue on in our weakness, it does not mean God has not heard our prayer, or that He does not love us, or that He has abandoned us.
Scripture tells us that, "the rain falls on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45), and that "in this world we will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Therefore, all of us will experience things we don’t understand, that seem unfair, and even feel like our prayers are not being heard. But take heart! For scripture also tells us that, “God so loved the world: that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Meaning, no matter how wretched we feel, no matter how distressing our situation, no matter how severe our suffering, we are loved.
Unfortunately, faith is no protection from trouble and sometimes we can spiral into sorrow. Nevertheless, like the psalmist, we must remain earnest in prayer. Knowing that God loved us enough to give us His only son, we can know He loves us enough to hear our prayers. And when we feel abandoned, know that God is with us (Immanuel), even in “the dark nights.”
The Truth: "The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Psalm 23)
