Are you waiting for things to improve, hoping for things to become easier?
Sometimes, it’s years of waiting.
Sometimes, things don’t get better or easier, but worse and harder. What do we do then? What if…our waiting lasts a lifetime?
Psalm 69 gives us the words to pray in the waiting…and they all point to Jesus.
The situation: Waiting for suffering to end
Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck! (v. 1)
The Psalmist David was overwhelmed, drowning in life’s chaos. He was weary from crying; all of his usual supports had vanished. Many had become enemies, attacking his faith, gossiping, hurting and judging him, insulting and scorning him. He lamented to God that no one was comforting or pitying him. He knew he was a sinner; he was even concerned about the effects of his sin on other people in his waiting.
My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God (v. 3b).
The prayers: Hanging onto God’s character while waiting for suffering to end
David prayed and prayed and prayed. Begging God to stop the suffering, he asked God to judge those enemies who were shutting him out. He pleaded for rescue, deliverance, a quick answer.
Draw near to my soul, redeem me (v. 18).
Soon, his “praise interruptions” leap from his song of lament, like stray embers flying from a fiery inferno. Might they begin to flame into a warm fire of hope in our hearts today?
Let’s use His Word and a hymn, as we too wait for suffering to end.
But first! Beloved, we are viewing this Psalm from a New Covenant place, as redeemed and born-again believers in Christ. As David’s lament echoes ours, we can sing of the person and work of our Savior Jesus, who took our sin upon Himself and gave us His righteousness instead. We know the cross proves His steadfast love (Rom. 5:8), so we can hang onto the Lord’s unchanging character and love for us in Christ, as we wait for suffering to end.
I praise You for Your steadfast love, saving faithfulness, and sovereign timing
At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness (Ps. 69:13).
Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.
Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners (Chapman, J. W., 1910)
The Lord takes pleasure in those who hope in his steadfast love (Ps. 147:11).
I praise You for Your steadfast love and abundant mercy, shown to me in Your victorious death and resurrection
Answer me, O Lord, for your steadfast love is good; according to your abundant mercy, turn to me (v. 16).
Jesus! what a Strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in Him.
Tempted, tried, and often failing,
He, my Strength, my victory wins.
Turnaround to praise as we wait for suffering to end
Lord, I pray these words with David. Your salvation…the very Hebrew word means Jesus. Let it set me on high: safe, comforted, helped, and protected in Your saving grace, able to praise You for being my salvation. Let Your salvation be my focus as I pray and wait for my suffering to end, in Your perfect timing. You have saved me, You will save all those who are Yours, and You will judge all Your enemies and remove sin and death forever in Your restored kingdom. I can look forward with hope. Please let Your salvation set me on high as I wait. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Jesus! what a Help in sorrow!
While the billows over me roll,
Even when my heart is breaking,
He, my Comfort, helps my soul.
[Jesus says]: I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? (Jn. 11:25-26).
Jesus! I do now receive Him,
More than all in Him I find.
He has granted me forgiveness,
I am His, and He is mine.
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out (John 6:37).
Praising Jesus as we wait for overwhelming suffering to end
Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them (Ps. 69:34).
As we wait, we can join David in praise, using God’s Word. Our praise as those who are in Christ? We join the unending “myriads of myriads, thousands of thousands” (Rev. 5:11) who are praising now at the throne of Jesus, seated in His finished work of redemption at the cross, now exalted in heaven. He too is waiting to return, waiting for perfect timing in our Father’s sovereign plan of patience and mercy.
Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! (Rev. 5:12)
What do I do as I wait for suffering to end?
Psalm 69 encourages me in the long waiting. Like David, we can pray and pray, hang onto God’s character, and intentionally magnify Him in our thoughts. Let’s praise Jesus for His saving, helping, merciful, keeping love and presence as we suffer. Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah! what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
He is with me to the end.
The best news? His keeping love will bring us home to Him one day, and our suffering will indeed end, forever. Let’s sing Christ’s hope into our suffering today, dear ones.
Would you like a playlist to help you sing? I’ve professionally curated a YouTube playlist, filled with hymns and songs to accompany this “praise interruption.” We sing of His justifying and sanctifying love for us as we wait for His glorifying work. We sing of our safety and hope in Christ, and we magnify Jesus as we sing! If this playlist would encourage you in the waiting, sign up here!
