Cries from the Mire
“Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.” - Psalm 69:1-3
Not long ago, I prayed something like this, “Father, where are you? I have begged and begged you to deliver me. I am helpless and have no way to deliver myself; I am utterly at your mercy. If my child had been in this situation and asked for help, I would have come running immediately. Yet, I cry to you day after day, and you’re nowhere to be found.” Little did I know that my prayer echoed the prayer of David in Psalm 69. I helplessly sank deeper into the mire, trying to find footing, trying to find stability, desperately begging for help as panic seized me and all hope seemed lost.
We’ve probably all experienced these moments of desperation and confusion. From “I can’t take anymore,” to “Where are you, Lord? I have begged for your help, and you’re nowhere to be found,” we resonate with the vivid imagery drawn by David in this Psalm. We want so desperately to trust God and believe that his way is best, but we struggle to understand why he has allowed this. And even more perplexing is why he allows it to go this far. Why not rescue me immediately from the mire that threatens to swallow me? Why wait until I am almost consumed? Why let me frantically scramble to find footing? How could anything good come from this?
Honestly, I wish I always perceived things as David in Psalm 40:1-3, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” But just like David, my perception is not always initially clear.
However, both of these Psalms are part of Scripture for a reason. They are both very real experiences and perceptions that we have all felt at some point. And while they might seem contrary, they are actually very similar. Our assumption from Psalm 40 is that David is praising God because everything turned out okay. However, the implication is that this song of praise was put in his mouth while he was in “the pit of destruction” and “miry bog.” When we read Psalm 69, we find David pouring his heart out to God, begging for help, but we don’t find a resolution. Yet picking up in verse 30 we read, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving…you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.” - Psalm 69:30-33
Do you see the picture? He is deep in the mire as it continues to rise. His head is lifted upward to provide those final breaths before he is swallowed up. And he uses those last precious moments to praise the Lord. It’s then he realizes the mire in which he was sinking was never his circumstances, but rather the destruction of the foundation on which his hope was built. And when his hope is reconstructed on the right foundation, he finds he is no longer sinking in the mire but rather firmly planted on the rock, and his heart is revived knowing God has not abandoned him.
Let’s be honest, things don’t always work out the way we hope or think they should. I wish every question had a decisive answer. I wish every difficulty had a clear resolution, but I must remember that my hope and foundation is Jesus Christ. He is the rock on which we find security. And as difficult as it may be at times, we can praise him even when our situation seems dire. I pray your heart is revived and your hope is restored by the One who hears your cries and understands your struggles.
With much love,
Bryan
Not long ago, I prayed something like this, “Father, where are you? I have begged and begged you to deliver me. I am helpless and have no way to deliver myself; I am utterly at your mercy. If my child had been in this situation and asked for help, I would have come running immediately. Yet, I cry to you day after day, and you’re nowhere to be found.” Little did I know that my prayer echoed the prayer of David in Psalm 69. I helplessly sank deeper into the mire, trying to find footing, trying to find stability, desperately begging for help as panic seized me and all hope seemed lost.
We’ve probably all experienced these moments of desperation and confusion. From “I can’t take anymore,” to “Where are you, Lord? I have begged for your help, and you’re nowhere to be found,” we resonate with the vivid imagery drawn by David in this Psalm. We want so desperately to trust God and believe that his way is best, but we struggle to understand why he has allowed this. And even more perplexing is why he allows it to go this far. Why not rescue me immediately from the mire that threatens to swallow me? Why wait until I am almost consumed? Why let me frantically scramble to find footing? How could anything good come from this?
Honestly, I wish I always perceived things as David in Psalm 40:1-3, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” But just like David, my perception is not always initially clear.
However, both of these Psalms are part of Scripture for a reason. They are both very real experiences and perceptions that we have all felt at some point. And while they might seem contrary, they are actually very similar. Our assumption from Psalm 40 is that David is praising God because everything turned out okay. However, the implication is that this song of praise was put in his mouth while he was in “the pit of destruction” and “miry bog.” When we read Psalm 69, we find David pouring his heart out to God, begging for help, but we don’t find a resolution. Yet picking up in verse 30 we read, “I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving…you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy and does not despise his own people who are prisoners.” - Psalm 69:30-33
Do you see the picture? He is deep in the mire as it continues to rise. His head is lifted upward to provide those final breaths before he is swallowed up. And he uses those last precious moments to praise the Lord. It’s then he realizes the mire in which he was sinking was never his circumstances, but rather the destruction of the foundation on which his hope was built. And when his hope is reconstructed on the right foundation, he finds he is no longer sinking in the mire but rather firmly planted on the rock, and his heart is revived knowing God has not abandoned him.
Let’s be honest, things don’t always work out the way we hope or think they should. I wish every question had a decisive answer. I wish every difficulty had a clear resolution, but I must remember that my hope and foundation is Jesus Christ. He is the rock on which we find security. And as difficult as it may be at times, we can praise him even when our situation seems dire. I pray your heart is revived and your hope is restored by the One who hears your cries and understands your struggles.
With much love,
Bryan
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