Following

The Holy Bible, New International Version. Psalm 143 A psalm of David Ps 143:1 O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief. 2 Do not bring your servant into judgment, for no one living is righteous before you. 3 The enemy pursues me, he crushes me to the ground; he makes me dwell in darkness like those long dead. 4 So my spirit grows faint within me; my heart within me is dismayed. 5 I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done. 6 I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. 7 Answer me quickly, O LORD; my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. 8 Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul. 9 Rescue me from my enemies, O LORD, for I hide myself in you. 10 Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. 11 For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life; in your righteousness, bring me out of trouble. 12 In your unfailing love, silence my enemies; destroy all my foes, for I am your servant. Clearly, the psalmist, David, wrote these words amidst circumstances of deep trouble and turmoil. In situations of suffering, we all know how appealing it is to wallow in the mire or self-pity and to think dark, vindictive thoughts against our 'enemies'. The Psalms are very candid in expressing grief and anger; and they give us the language for our own prayers when our own language fails us. God seems to be saying, through the Psalms, that it is all right to recognize and express these deep emotions to Him! After all, he knows that we are feeling them better than we know it ourselves! There is more to this poem than complaint, "I hide myself in You!" writes David. The place to flee in the midst of our struggles is to God, the only secure place of refuge. God is the only place of hope and comfort and safety. God is also the place to learn. "Show me the way I should go, for to You I lift up my soul." To remain in the place of refuge, and to know the peace we all long to have in our hearts, we must seek to know and do the will of God. Isaiah 55:8 says "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the LORD." Because this is true, we need to be taught His ways and His will. He teaches us His will in many ways, and even though we may not find the discipline easy, there is tremendous fulfillment in following them. We are learning as we follow. Our prayers are being answered even as we pray.