Crying out to God

Psalm 119:145-152

P.O.P.

The Christian who cries out to God and is dedicated to His Word walks in obedience, while distance from God’s Word leads to disobedience.

Kids

We pray to God and read His Word to learn about salvation.

I. Cry out to God in your troubles.

Psalm 119:145-149 “With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.”

Pleading to God

qara (Heb.) - to call, to proclaim

NASB: “I cried with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!” (verse 145)

NASB: “I cried to You; save me” (verse 146)

The Psalmist is not crying out, “God, if you are real...” instead the Psalmist cries out in confidence that God and His Word are true, reliable, and real!

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ in the strength and assistance of the Spirit.

John Bunyan

While the Psalmist is not questioning God amidst all the affliction, he is crying to the Lord in anguish.

Psalm 34:6 “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.”

Lamentations 2:18 “Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears stream down like a torrent day and night! Give yourself no rest, your eyes no respite!”

Devotion to God

Our whole being by its very nature is one vast need: incomplete, preparatory, empty yet cluttered, crying out for him who can untie things that are now knotted together and tie up things that are still dangling loose.

C. S. Lewis

Notice that even though the Psalmist is afflicted and even though he is crying out in anguish, he sees it as a time of full devotion.

A passion for prayer and a passion for the Word of God should always go together. They should be inseparable twins in our life.

Danny Akin

Trust in God

I cannot help but notice the pattern of the beginning of these verses. Keep in mind the structure of the Psalm - each verse starting with the letter correlating in the Hebrew alphabet:

I cry out (verse 145)

I cry out to You (146)

I rise before dawn (147)

I awake (verse 148)

Hear my voice (149)

Psalm 46:1-3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah”

So often I feel that we do not get the answer to our prayers because we are looking in a different place than God is for the answer.

We so often pray and if our desired request is met seek a better situation, easier life, or even just be able to breathe a little bit easier.....that is what God wants for me right?

May we ask ourselves, if our prayers are answers would it make things easier or would it make us more sanctified?

The result the Psalmist is looking for when asking God to hear him, to hear his cries, to answer him, after all that devoted time to the Lord…is that the Psalmist would faithfully walk in obedience to God and His Word.

II. Recognize the enemies’ disobedience.

Psalm 119:150 “They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.”

Notice the contrast of the Psalmist and the enemy.

III. Place your hope in the character of God.

Psalm 119:151-152 “But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true. Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever.”

God is near

Deuteronomy 31:6,8 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.””

Joshua 1:5 “No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.”

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.””

Psalm 46:1-11 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”

There is not one inch in the entire area of our human life about which Christ, who is Sovereign of all, does not cry out, “Mine!”

Abraham Kuyper

Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

God’s Word is true

How do we know God is near? Because God’s Word is true. All our hope and faith begins to fall apart when we neglect the Word of God for it is the Word of God which communicates the truth of God.

God’s Word is forever

The Psalmist also looks back to the faithfulness of God in his own life. The Psalmist also recognizes the faithfulness of God throughout His Word. Every instance of faithfulness with his people is reminder to the Psalmist He is the faithful God throughout all history.