Calling from the Depths

The problems faced by the psalmist were far-reaching. In fact, we feel a sense of desperation. He spoke from deep places in his heart, with intense emotions and a sense of urgency. Because of the depth of his need, his words have an extra dimension of conviction and authority.

He needed God’s intervention, and asked Him to “hear my voice” and “let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy!” He waited for and hoped in God. He admitted making mistakes and felt guilty of “iniquities.” And he needed mercy and forgiveness.

The Bible contains many responses like this. We are reminded that the Psalms (and the rest of the Bible) were written by real people, who experienced real problems. This is an encouragement to us. How comforting it is to read this Psalm! How it speaks to us in our moments of doubt, discouragement, and uncertainty!

This is a reminder that God can use these kinds of experiences in our lives. We may go through difficult times. But when we go through these deep places, we can respond like the Psalmist and cry out to Him. We can be honest with Him, and express the depth of our feelings.

As we draw on these experiences, we can go deeper in our relationship with Him, and learn deeper truths. As a result, our words, like those of the psalmist, can become more authoritative and have more impact.

If you are going through deep places, cry out to God for help and the answers you need. These can be opportunities for Him to reveal deeper truths to you, and help you mature in your faith. These also can provide you with greater credibility to minister to others, as you share what you have learned in these deep places.