Cry Out

“The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” – Psalm 34:17

David was an ordinary young man– a shepherd caring for a small flock. He tuned a harp, played beautiful music, and sang songs to the God of Israel. He enjoyed dwelling in God’s presence daily, and that became the foundation of his faith, hope, and love.

Life was different for David after God anointed him as the next king. He wasn’t recognized by his own brothers, betrayed by his closest friends, rejected by his people, and was close to being assassinated by his two sons.

As a human, David was not immune to distress. He cried out his frustration and fears on different occasions. I wondered if David had ever hoped that his life stayed ordinary. Perhaps not. Through Psalms, we could see David placing his trust in God regardless of his circumstances.

Psalm 34 was written when his entire family was held captive by his enemies and Ziklag, a town he was using as a base to build his forces, was burned to the ground. His own people rejected him and demanded he step down. Then, he was taken captive. In the midst of all this, David must have felt miserable, but still, he turned his eyes to the Lord, expressed his trust in his Rock, and in thanksgiving, asked for deliverance from his enemies.

I prayed tearfully that night. My heart was held captive by fears, and I couldn’t stand the tension any longer. Soon after, I could feel some burdens being taken away. While in His presence, I reminded God of His promises to the righteous.

When we are in trouble and we feel so many burdens within, it is OK to cry. We are not weak when doing so. But we do not have to dwell in our sorrows. God has won the battles for us and He is with us in our trials.

The same God who delivered David from all his troubles will deliver you too, for He is the same God, yesterday, today, and tomorrow. You are His righteous ones. By the grace of God, you have lived under the new covenant in Christ – where His promises are your inheritance. Take courage and proclaim: "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength!" He is our Defender; He will deliver us.

God hears our cry in troubled times