Today’s psalm sounds much like the words of dear Job, who we are reading about in another study. But these aren’t Job’s words. These are King David’s words, and by scholars’ calculations, they were penned and uttered years and years after Job cried out to God in much the same way. Today’s words also reminded me of a time in my life when I felt “exhausted and completely crushed (v. 8), when “all day long I walk(ed) around filled with grief,” and there were days I felt like God might be very, very angry with me for sins of my past. And I’d look around at people who I deemed as sinners and evil-doers having the times of their lives, appearing to suffer nothing, and wonder, “Whyyyyyy don’t they have to go through these things???” As I got older, though, and got to know more about those people, and many others, I learned that they too experienced suffering, maybe not in the same way I was, but they had their own stuff, for sure, and it was in those times that I saw them happy when I was sad, that they were gathering in all the joy they could despite their own suffering – not because they weren’t suffering. We all take turns wallowing, even King David and Job had their days, but we all can count many blessings as well and use those things to bring us joy in days of gloom.
Sum it up:
What did I do to anger you, Lord?
You punish me, and I can think of
A thousand things for which I could be suffering
This time.
But I know it is not forever.
I know You and only You will lead me out of this ditch.
Please, highlight the joys for me,
So I can cling to them
During times such as these.
Writing prompt: gloom
Write about a time you felt like you were being punished for something.
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