Every so often, I am struck by the power captured within some of the Psalms. With exquisite beauty and coherence, they are able to project and articulate the most intimate, most personal moments of agony and praise. The Psalms that are praising are exuberant and uplifting, using words to adequately describe the level of euphoria and joy the writer is going through. Each word is picked purposefully and the end result is a breakthrough in the communication barrier which can at times hinder an effectual connection with God. The Psalms of pain and anguish are complete in the aching they impart. Psalms didn’t always mean this much to me, but as I enter areas in my life where I need the words to express to God what I’m going through, I find the Psalms already have them.
I am not the most articulate person at all times. Usually, my vocabulary and imagination fall short when I attempt to express overwhelming levels of gratitude and thanks to God or when I am crying out from the depths of my soul, falling to pieces and needing to articulate to God the utter pain and yearning my heart feels. I know God already knows my heart and can understand the intimate details of what I am going through, but there is a beauty in being able to communicate that level of intimate joy or anguish in words.
Words are important to God. Out of all the many ways He could have brought the universe and everything in it into existence, He chose the spoken word. From nothing, He spoke everything. He is the word and that word is Jesus. Life and death are controlled by what we say. Words can more easily damage or mend another soul than physical or material damage or help. God is all about communication, so I imagine it pleases Him when we can praise Him with our voices, with our spoken thoughts, with our innermost needs, desires, and joys made vocal.
Recently I have had moments where I was so grateful to God for things He had done for me that I literally had NO words to express my level of gratitude. It was a hope deferred which had been fulfilled and had now become a tree of life, my heart and soul attempted to leave my mouth, only to be bound by a mortal tongue and limited imagination. My only recourse was to visualize my soul spiraling upwards to heaven in jubilation and entwining with God’s spirit, becoming one and surpassing the need for any words. It is a beautiful thing, yes… but how much more powerful if I had the words to express that level of exploding joy and gratefulness?
Recently I have had moments where the inner pain and longing for fulfillment of God’s promises to me overwhelmed me. I longed to cry out to God in my need and to articulate to Him the depths and extent of that yawning ache needing to be filled, knowing it can only be filled by Him at this time. Yet so often, my tongue cannot frame nor my mind form the correct arrangement of words to adequately describe to Him what exactly is occurring within me. Many times the only way I can express is to open my soul to Him and cry out… no words, just a desperate searching for His comfort and filling of that gaping hole. How much more powerful and effective if I could frame the words to enlist His aid…
Today, I read yet another Psalm and was struck by the efficacy of the prayer and pleading recorded there. David, in the utmost agony of his soul, had beautiful and inspired words to bring his case before his Lord. I believe that not only was David a master of poetic expression, but also that his inspiration and creativity was inspired by God so this form of explicit articulation could be recorded for us to use so many years later.
Today’s Psalm – 77 – amazed me with the power and applicability it held in it for me…
I cried unto God with my voice, even unto God with my voice; and he gave ear unto me.
In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.
I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.
Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.
I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.
Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?
Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?
Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.
Feeling at one with the Psalm, I realized the next passages confirmed that my choices in dealing with my state of being were correct. My path was true and now I had beautiful words to offer up to God.
And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.
I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
I will meditate also of all they work, and talk of thy doings
Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?
