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"Your wrath lies heavy upon me, and you overwhelm me with all your waves....But I, O LORD, cry to you;"

~ Psalm 88:7,13a

 

This psalm too is of the Sons of Korah, more specifically Heman the Ezrahite.  At first read/appearance, this does not seem to be a psalm to uplift the soul.  It is a dark (v.6), despondent (v.4), desperate (v.15) display of the depth (v.3) of depravity of the human condition (v.7,16) and experience (v.14).  The language used by Heman is blunt and perhaps difficult to interact with, but it is rightful and true.  He is aware of and honestly expressing the raw emotion of his heart; entrusting it to the LORD and the truth of his character and promise.  Despite the negative emotional experience that Heman is having, it is serving to only strengthen his faith, knowledge and love for God.  The fact that he is penning this prayer as a psalm evidences his faith in God, not displaying a lack of faith.

How often am I deceived in thinking that because I experience hardships and hurts, questions and doubts, that this means I am somehow lacking in faith or trust or love for God; or worse have been rejected or abandoned by him. And so, I keep hidden my thoughts and feelings; managing them on my own, working through them alone until I can be “content” again, or just stuffing them away until they nag me no longer. This should not be for the children of God.

My hurts, questions, doubts, accusations et c. are not too big for God.  He is not offended by them.  He longs to engage with me about them and be the all-sufficient answer to them all.  As Heman notes, the LORD is the God of my salvation, he inclines his ear, he will hear my cries, night and day (v.1-2,9,13).  I have been created to glorify God and I cannot do so in the abandonment of eternal death (v.10-12).  Our God is a God of life.  He pursues us and welcomes all those who seek him in faith through the Savior Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:7-11).  It is in Jesus that God has entered into our pain and darkness.  He is a high priest able to sympathize with us in all ways (Hebrews 4:15).  Come to him for he is gentle and lowly (Matthew 11:29).