By Rachel Post
Psalm 50: 15 “And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that seemed completely hopeless? Have you looked around and found nobody who could truly understand how you were feeling? Your fleshly refuge had failed you. It seemed as though no man cared for your soul. Psalm 142:4-7a, “I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no man that would know me: refuge failed me; no man cared for my soul. I cried unto thee, O Lord: I said, Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living. Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low... Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name.”
Just as you felt that you were about to be pulled down permanently by life’s current, you look up. There it was, a hand extended to you- a warm embrace, a blanket of forgiveness and understanding. Someone who not only listened to your complaints but welcomed them. (Psalm 142:2, “I poured out my complaint before Him: I shewed before him my trouble.”) The only Being who was capable of changing your situation. Can you feel it? The acceptance. The calm assurance that help is on the way. Maybe you can’t because you have never experienced His rest.
You are thinking “how can I reach Him? How can I solicit His help?” The answer, my friend, is much simpler than your problem. All you need to do is ask. Picture the Lord able to uplift and assist you; He is anticipating and longing to come to your aide, but is waiting for you to ask. Just as children need to ask their parents for help, we need to ask our Heavenly Father to extend His hand to us.
After He extends His hand to you and lifts you out of the waves, can you picture Him waiting there? Waiting to be thanked. Waiting to be praised. So often we are as the healed lepers, who received their healing and never returned to thank the Healer. The Lord has saved our souls and our lives, and we neglect to take the time to praise Him.
What a shame to think of all the help we receive, and how little we actually thank Him.
“Word of Praise”
In times of trouble and distress,
I call upon Your name.
And without fail,
You bring me rest
Or comfort just the same.
You take the time to plant my feet
Upon a solid place.
You shower me with mercy
And bathe me in Your grace.
Though I walk through darkest paths,
And my way seems bleak,
You wrap Your arms around me
In times when I am weak.
Every need you have supplied,
All my hopes fulfilled.
You walk with me, abide with me
And You always will.
I find new morning mercies
And delight in all You do,
Yet often go about my day
Without thanking You.
One would think with all you do
My lips would never cease
To praise and glorify Your name
And tell of my increase.
Even without my reply,
You do not change Your ways.
How sad the truth that days go by
Without a word of praise.
~R. Post
Psalm 62:8 “Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.”