Reading the psalms can be shocking! This book, in the center of our Bibles, shows us – with no uncertainty – that we can bring all our thoughts and emotions to God without hesitation. We find in this book rants, complaints against God, appeals for God to destroy the enemy, laments of deep sadness and sorrow, jubilant and zealous expressions of joy and praise, historical reflections, acrostic meditations, and nearly defiant demands.
The one-hundred-fifty psalms were the hymnbook for the Israelites. In quite a few cases instrumental instructions are included for choirs and orchestras. Because it was a liturgy for worship, it includes all the various circumstances that God-followers face.
Some years ago, Crystal
Lewis gave us a worship chorus that clarifies the message deduced from the psalms:
Come just as you are
Hear the spirit call
Come just as you are
Come and see
Come receive
Come and live forever
Life Everlasting
Strength for today
Taste the living water
And never thirst again
Come just as you are
Don't you hear the spirit call?
Come just as you are
Come and see
Christ My King
Come and live forever more
The
psalms teach us that we may feel free to come to God in any and all
circumstances! Our mood does not
prohibit us from coming to the throne of grace!
We may feel free to come when we are desperate and seem incapable of
using the right kind of language. We are
welcome, even if we are:
- angry
- depressed
- vengeful
- frustrated
- disappointed
- subject to bullying
- overwhelmed
- nervous
- anxious
- feeling like a loser
- exhausted
- feeling suicidal
- feeling hopeless
- rejected
- in deep grief
Actually, these are GREAT times to turn to God and empty our hearts! God can take our honesty; God prefers it! He does NOT want us to put on airs, to say what we think He wants us to say, to pretend all is well! The psalms show us that God is open to our deepest and most extreme experiences! He simply waits for us to BRING IT to Him and leave it with Him!
There’s an old hymn: [written by Charles A. Tindley]
If the world from you withhold
of its silver and its gold,
And you have to get along with meager fare,
Just remember, in His Word, how He feeds the little bird—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Refrain:
Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there;
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If your body suffers pain and
your health you can’t regain,
And your soul is almost sinking in despair,
Jesus knows the pain you feel, He can save and He can heal—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
When your enemies assail and
your heart begins to fail,
Don’t forget that God in Heaven answers prayer;
He will make a way for you and will lead you safely through—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
When your youthful days are gone
and old age is stealing on,
And your body bends beneath the weight of care;
He will never leave you then, He’ll go with you to the end—
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
I don’t know what you may be facing or experiencing today, but I know you’d feel a lot better if you’d lay it out before Almighty God! Regardless of how ugly – even repulsive – your thoughts may be, God can bear it. You may not be up to it, but He is! Bare your soul! Unload your burden! Speak the truth! Feel free to rant!
Then listen…
God will dip into His limitless resources and He will begin a
process that will eventually lead you to a better place!
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