The psalmist invites us into four scenarios, pictures of ones who called out to God and in His mercy, He delivered them. Go back and read the psalm again, really dwelling on these four images (specifically located in verses 4-32). Take note of these phrases repeated in each story:
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
The beauty of the vivid language in the psalms is it can help us use our imagination when we think about our experiences and how we relate to God. It is likely we have not literally been lost in a desert, imprisoned, suffering to the point of death, or in the midst of a great storm. However, how many of us can relate to feeling lost, exhausted, unsure if we were going to have our basic needs met. Or imprisoned and enslaved to our desires, with no way out. Or overcome by the weight of our sin, so miserable we can no longer enjoy the pleasures of life. Or encounter times of uncertainty and be overcome by fear, unable to find a way forward to safety. What is our response in these times? Do we immediately cry out to God and seek His deliverance? Do we trust that God actually can and will deliver us?
In case we need any more reminders of God’s power, we are given additional images of God’s ability to transform His creation. Then reminded of His desire to bring justice to the proud and provide for the needy. The psalmist concludes with stating we would be wise to pay attention to how God works in His creation and for His people. He truly does want to deliver us from our hardship if we call out to Him. Let us be a people who seek to daily recognize God’s mercy and goodness. Let us be a people who ask God to deliver us from our troubles, knowing in His steadfast love He wants to have a relationship and provide for us. Let us be a people who are overwhelmed by the many ways we have been redeemed, we simply cannot help but praise God!
- Christine Luter