Closer Day 17 – Psalm 30:1-5

Read: Psalm 30:1-5

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple. 1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. 2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.

3 O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit. 4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name. 5 For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.

Reflect

Even in challenging or difficult seasons, we can reach out to God for help. We might feel this way if we struggle at school to have community and fit in. Or maybe our marriage is in shambles, and there seems to be no hope on the horizon. Or perhaps a family member or close friend struggles with addiction, depression, or anxiety. In any case, the battle to do life has a way of exhausting us. We end up weary, empty, and alone.

David reminds us that we can praise God because He is faithful to answer when we call. It isn’t so much in the eloquence of the words we use but in the fact that we stop, acknowledge our need for Him, and simply cry out for help. As a daughter or son of God, He will be forever faithful to hear and respond to our cry; we must simply ask. Even on the darkest nights, when emotions run high and we do not think we can bear one more moment, our God is near. His love for us is fierce and faithful.

Prayer

Father, we thank you that you are near no matter what life throws our way. You desire to answer our cry for help and show up in ways we could never think or imagine. We thank you that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in each of us. This supernatural power allows us to choose a different response when fear and doubt settle in our hearts. Thank you for the new joy we have every morning.