August 20, 2006 · Psalm 13:1

The Unlucky Psalm - A Lament (Psalm 13)

“See, I've learned from the Psalms, like Psalm 13, that if there's one thing I can bring to God is my honest heartfelt emotions. Sure, sometimes my emotions are immature. Sure, sometimes my emotions are even bringing me dangerously close to blasphemy. Sure, sometimes my emotions are even totally wrong, or they misjudge the actual situation. Sometimes, I'm overstepping my right boundaries between creator and creature in my emotions. I'm sure of it. But that is for God to decide. That is for God to face, and guess what? He can take it. You see, if I hide these feelings from God, if I don't cry them out, if my emotions aren't expressed to the high heavens, am I any better off? No! In fact, I would say that all we're doing is holding destructive emotions inside our hearts. I'm so scared to tell God how I actually feel that I try to trick him, and I only end up tricking myself, God, I do not feel your presence. God, sometimes I wonder if you really love me. God, I am really hurting here, and it seems to me like you really don't give a care. Please don't continue to give a damn nation. I need your salvation. You see, that's the prayer of a lamenting solnest. That is the prayer of a man or a woman who is being real with your emotions. It's not so much because they're actually right in their emotions, or that they're right that God isn't there, but they're right about that is how they feel. They're right in telling God how they feel.”