Psalm 31:9-16
9 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress;
my eye wastes away from grief,
my soul and body also.
10 For my life is spent with sorrow
and my years with sighing;
my strength fails because of my misery,
and my bones waste away.
11 I am the scorn of all my adversaries,
a horror to my neighbors,
an object of dread to my acquaintances;
those who see me in the street flee from me.
12 I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;
I have become like a broken vessel.
13 For I hear the whispering of many—
terror all around!—
as they scheme together against me,
as they plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hand;
deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.
16 Let your face shine upon your servant;
save me in your steadfast love.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
This may not really be the case, but it feels like the world around us has been devolving into contention, strife, and mistrust at an alarming rate. It feels like our neighbors and friends are much more quick to cast blame or retaliate against real or imagined slights than they were a couple of years ago. We seem to be in a season of anger and antagonism.
When the world around us feels fraught with real or perceived threats, it’s difficult to know who to trust. We find ourselves second-guessing our relationships and hesitating to participate in the life of our communities. This leads to increased feelings of isolation and dread.
14 But I trust in you, O Lord;
The Psalms remind us that people have been treating each other badly for millennia. As we read their cries for God to deliver them from the struggles and frustrations of their life together, we come to know ourselves better. Knowing that there is nothing new under the sun (which is actually from Ecclesiastes – not Psalms – but is still in the same genre) is strangely comforting. If people from antiquity struggled with the same difficulties we face today and somehow still managed to survive and thrive, there’s hope for us as well.
Prayer: Lord God: I sometimes wonder why you created us with so many rough edges and character flaws. Maybe you intended for us to keep banging into each other until all our imperfections have been worn away. Thank you for loving us as we are and watching over us as we grow and learn. AMEN