Psalm Photos - 56 - Tossings
Psalm 56
Be gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me; all day long foes oppress me;
my enemies trample on me all day long, for many fight against me. O Most High,
when I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I am not afraid; what can flesh do to me?
All day long they seek to injure my cause; all their thoughts are against me for evil.
They stir up strife, they lurk, they watch my steps. As they hoped to have my life,
so repay them for their crime; in wrath cast down the peoples, O God!
You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record?
Then my enemies will retreat in the day when I call. This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I am not afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?
My vows to you I must perform, O God; I will render thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death, and my feet from falling, so that I may walk before God in the light of life.
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The time in this picture used to be my nemesis. 2:00am. Colin Cowherd on ESPN radio often says about athletes that "nothing good happens after midnight." I often thought of his words when I was going through a very rough time a few years ago and dreaded going to bed, no matter how tired I was. I dreaded it because I knew that I was likely going to wake up somewhere around 2am and be reminded that nothing good was going to come of that. I would wake up with what my wife called "monkey brain" where I would be bouncing from thought to thought like a monkey in a tree. Hamster wheel is also an apt metaphor. I would not be able to shut it off and I would lay on the couch or walk around the house or even try things like playing Angry Birds to just get the wheel or monkeys to stop. And many times, I would pray similar words to those in the Psalm- "Lord, you see me tossing. You hear my thoughts. Lord, a little help please?" A 2a lament.
It was in some of those times where I was reminded of the faithfulness of a prayer of lament. God wants to hear me no matter where I am, how I am, how I feel. Thank you God for always listening.