Hard Times Softened Hearts

Psalm 88

Heman, no, not a superhero of today, but a real person who lived in Solomon's day. Solomon was compared to him regarding being known for wisdom (1 Kings 4:31). There isn't much to explain why this very wise man was in soul searing, heart rending. We often seek something, anything to compare to understand the depths of anguish a person is in and too often wrongly compare and say, for instance, that's not as bad as Job, lost his vast holdings, his entire livelihood, and above all his ten children within hours. There is no fair comparison on this earth. I have had many family and friends die in the last two years. Had I have family and friends die before? Well certainly. But in the last couple of years I was much more aware the death of family and friends since there have been so many beginning with my own wife's death. It gives you much more awareness and recognition that no one grieves the same. Having six children between each of the seven of us alive even our grief is very different.

So whatever brought Heman to his knees seeking God...

O Lord God of my salvation, I cry day and night before thee. Let my prayer enter into thy presence: incline thine ear unto my cry.

Psalms 88:1 - 2 GNV

it is painfully deep.

I don't need to know exactly what someone else is going through when it comes to seeking God. They have circumstances pressing in that I may not understand if I compare. Comparison isn't needed and is most often quite offensive. A common phrase I have heard is, Well, you just don't know what I'm going through. And that is as it should be when it comes to seeking God. I may or may not know or understand what it is that has brought me down to rock bottom. Most important is that I must realize that rock bottom is where Jesus taught about building a firm foundation. That foundation begins with,

O Lord God of my salvation.

The individual circumstantial details God alone is able to sort through in each individual life.

But thinking of this Heman, a man to whom Solomon's wisdom was compared, a man noted in such a way and you look again at his prayer, his cry: Let my prayer enter onto your presence. It reminds me of the two Jesus told about going into the temple to pray. The publican wouldn't so much as lift up his eyes recognizing who he was and his place before God. Heman finds himself in a much more difficult situation. The desperation shows when Heman asks of God,

Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead? or shall the dead rise and praise thee? Selah.

Psalms 88:10 GNV

Reading Psalm 88 to the end his feelings of death being what his life holds he demonstrates no sign of relief. We desire our prayer to be brought into His presence, but with how much real hope? We think we have waited to the end, the last possible moment and the despair becomes overwhelming. Yes, God has promised to hear, to answer. In like manner Martha and her sister Mary each meet Jesus with, If you had been here our brother had not died. Much the same Heman ends with:

Thine indignations go over me, and thy fear hath cut me off. They came round about me daily like water, and compassed me together. My lovers and friends hast thou put away from me, and mine acquaintance hid themselves.

Psalms 88:16 - 18 GNV

The Lord God wants us to trust Him long after hope is gone. This isn't double mindedness. This is trusting Him when there simply is no more hope. Even a man of great wisdom can come to the deepest of desperation. The Lord God finds this a fitting psalm to include for our doctrine, reproof, correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16)

This being Richard's meditation this first applies to me. If it applies to you that's only of God. There are many struggles I face. Whether one situation seems overwhelming beyond hope, yet another then seems to have promise or at least yet provides possible hope it is for me to remember all of my life is in His hands especially when one part seems to be paramount and the rest of my life falls under it's shadow.

We learned Heman was a singer who was of the choir that followed with the ark of the covenant when David had it brought from the home of Obededom (1 Chronicles 16). So neither wisdom, nor position sets us above the deep personal struggles we may have.

If I even ask if Jesus could have prayed this psalm as a prayer we read of His anguish in Gethsemane, but we are not left there because with Jesus we also read of His resurrection. The Lord has seen fit for us not to hear the end of Heman's life after he prayed this psalm. But we know the Lord's purpose needs not be known, only that we may learn of Him. Let our prayers come into His presence.