Hear My Cry!

 1 Hear my prayer, O LORD,

Give ear to my supplications!

In Your faithfulness answer me,

And in Your righteousness.

2 Do not enter into judgment with Your servant,

For in Your sight no one living is righteous.

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in darkness,

Like those who have long been dead.

4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart within me is distressed.

5 I remember the days of old;

I meditate on all Your works;

I muse on the work of Your hands.

6 I spread out my hands to You;

My soul longs for You like a thirsty land.

Selah

7 Answer me speedily, O LORD;

My spirit fails!

Do not hide Your face from me,

Lest I be like those who go down into the pit.

8 Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,

For in You do I trust;

Cause me to know the way in which I should walk,

For I lift up my soul to You.

9 Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies;

In You I take shelter.

10 Teach me to do Your will,

For You are my God;

Your Spirit is good.

Lead me in the land of uprightness.

11 Revive me, O LORD, for Your name's sake!

For Your righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble.

12 In Your mercy cut off my enemies,

And destroy all those who afflict my soul;

For I am Your servant.—Psalm 143

Psalm 143 is a prayer for deliverance and guidance. David’s complaint is found in verse 3 and 4. 

3 For the enemy has persecuted my soul;

He has crushed my life to the ground;

He has made me dwell in darkness,

Like those who have long been dead.

4 Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me;

My heart within me is distressed.

David was dealing here with flesh and blood enemies. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need to be surrounded by real life enemies to feel overwhelmed and crushed to the ground. My own flesh knows how to accomplish this feat pretty well. Even the mildest threat of loss can fill me and imprison me in the darkness of my own fear and anxiety.  The older I get the more aware I am of how easily life can change. The more people I love, the more multiplied my fear of loss. 

So what do I do to break free?  The same things that David does.  I cling to my all powerful, all knowing, everywhere present God who dwells in me and I pray.  He WILL hear me. I meditate on His mighty and marvelous works and contemplate His goodness and mercy that have never…no, not ever, failed me. I remember what He has already accomplished in my life. I remember His kindness and His steadfast, loyal love.  I lift up my soul to Him and place all that I am in His hands.  He is good and does good. My faith rekindles and my weakened spirit strengthened. 

Father…In You I take shelter.  Oh, help me to trust You!  Unite my heart to fear Your name!  Strengthen my faith!  Surround me with Your love, lead me in right paths and rescue me from the enemies of my soul…they are too strong for me. Teach me by Your Spirit and preserve me through this life.   You are the God of my righteousness.