“Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan,” (Psa. 55:2).
Oppressed by enemies and deserted by friends, the writer of Psalm 55 cries out for help, “I mourn in my complaint.” C.F. Pfieffer said in his commentary on this passage, “In keeping with the form of a lament, the writer appeals for God’s attention to his restless condition. He is slandered, oppressed, mistreated, and hated. The constant threat to his life causes pain, fear, trembling, and horror.” In words inspired by the Spirit, he expresses his desire to fly away to the wilderness, in hopes of escaping persecution. But is this really the answer?
Verses 9-15 open and close with a plea for vengeance, “Destroy O Lord, divide their tongues.” One of the hardest difficulties to bear, the psalmist finds, is the treachery of a close friend who worshiped with him and then later betrayed him. If you’ve ever suffered the betrayal of a close friend, you know the level of pain the psalmist is experiencing. And you can probably also relate to his pleas for God to avenge them.
But while the writer is sharing his heartbreak and desires for vengeance with God in prayer, a curious thing begins to happen. Verses 16-23 indicate that he gains a confidence in God through prayer that he didn’t have at the outset. He prays at evening … morning … and noon. And his persistence in prayer is rewarded by a personal peace and confidence in the assurance that God is his Father and will hear him. “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ,” (Gal. 4:7). “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father,” (Rom. 8:15). “Unto thee will I cry, O LORD my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit,” (Ps. 28:1).
Prayer, not escapism, is the Christian’s chief refuge. No matter how much power or personal strength we think we have, God wants His children to come to him in times of grief, trouble, struggle, difficulty, and pain. He wants us to open up completely to Him. He knows how we really feel, but he wants us to admit it, to be honest with our whole self, before Him. “Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul,” (Ps. 86:3-4).
God responds when we bring Him our whole heart, our whole self. “He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him,” (Ps. 91:15, see also verse 17). And when God responds, our faith is bolstered. Our love for God is made stronger when He hears and answers our need. “I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications,” (Ps. 116:1). This is how we grow our relationship with our Father. In every season of life, with every need you encounter, run to God for refuge, rescue, and restoration. Christ is waiting for His people to come and adore Him in their prayers, petitions and supplications.
- O Lord, as I pray, work in me a Spirit of grace and give me the ability to praise and adore Christ in my heart. I don’t just bring my requests to You when I pray; I also bring my pain, as the psalmist, and I want to be willing to accept Your will in every situation (1 John 5:1). I praise You and pray to You in faith, believing You hear and answer me. I believe You answer me because of Christ and according to Your plan for me. So I praise You in faith and assurance of heart that You will answer (James 1:6-7; Psalm 6:9; 1 John 3:19, and verse 22).
- Even though my sins seem to be ever before me, I know You wash them away as I confess them to you in repentance and faith because I am covered with the blood of Christ. I will come boldly before Your throne of grace, LORD, at all times of the day and night, knowing that because of Your Son, my Savior, You will hear me.
- I am weary, Lord, because the world that circles around me is so full of sin. Hear my prayers. Help me by the power of Your Spirit to be vigilant against sin, continually seeking You for strength that I may know true victory in Christ. Help me adore You and glorify the Christ who saved me, and honor You as I live out my days in this fallen world.
- Lord, I don’t know how to always pray as I should. I ask that Your Spirit prepare my heart, and to help me pray, worship, and seek you in truth. Help me to find a holy rest and quietness in Your presence. Deal graciously with me, and when I call on You, for Christ’s sake, answer me. If I am in trouble, deliver me. If I am cast down, answer me and show me great and mighty things which I do not even know.
Further References for Psalm 55:2
Ps. 142:2, 77:3, 86:6; Isa. 38:14; 1 Sam. 1:16; Ps. 55:17
