In suffering, distress, and desperation, we lift our pleas to God

By Dean Collins

How long, O God?

It is a common question we find in the Psalms, and at some point, it is a question we all ask. It is a fair question, and it usually comes to mind in seasons of distress.

We ask how long because our distress is so strong we wonder how long we can endure. The longer our agony, the more we tend to question God concerning his absence. Our faith is often tested in the fire of suffering. With the psalmist, we wonder whether we will make it and if God has forgotten us.

Psalms of lament

Psalms 73 and 74 begin the third section or book contained in the Psalms. These are not likely the ones you have memorized. We tend to memorize the psalms that bring us comfort or remind us of God’s promises. Many of us have memorized verses about how God has a plan for us, or how God’s plans work together for good. And there is nothing wrong with those verses. We need to remind ourselves of God’s comfort. But psalms of lament are important in our spiritual growth.

Many Bible scholars believe Psalms 73 and 74 were written after the destruction of Jerusalem. Both are attributed to Asaph: it appears the first one is an individual lament and the second is communal. 

The weight of sickness, failure, or loss may well impact the community, but first it is felt individually. And yet spiritual maturity draws us toward how suffering and destruction impact more than just us. When we read or hear the interviews of those whose homes and communities were destroyed by tornadoes or hurricanes, we often hear not just about “my home” that was destroyed but also how “our community” has been devastated, but “we will pull through this together.”

Questions in distress

In Psalm 74 we hear Asaph speak on behalf of God’s people as they agonize over the destruction of the temple and the city. The prophet’s warnings had fallen on deaf ears, and the enemy had taken control and wreaked havoc. The result must have certainly felt hopeless. And as time passed, Asaph asked questions on behalf of the community that we often ask as we experience suffering:

“We do not see our signs; there is no longer any prophet, and there is none among us who knows how long. How long, O God, is the foe to scoff? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? Why do you hold back your hand, your right hand?”

We are always looking for some indication that God notices. But there are times when we can’t seem to find evidence that he does, and so our questions are directed to God in desperation. How long, O God? Will the enemy have the last line in our drama? Why do you hold back your hand?

Promises with hope

Thankfully, Asaph doesn’t end his psalm with unanswered questions. He pushes us to remember the power of God and the promises of God. First, he recalls the times in the past when God showed his power “working salvation in the midst of the earth.” The psalmist reminds us of how God divided the seas, brought water from the rocks, and established the earth by separating the darkness from the light. Our God is a God of strength and power. He is fully able to do great things and has done them time and time again.

Our God is a God of strength and power.
He is fully able to do great things and has done them time and time again.

But then Asaph reminds God of his promises. I doubt God had forgotten them, though we sometimes worry that he has. However, when we align our prayers with the promises of God, we come in agreement with God about who he is and about our trust in him to do what he has promised. Asaph prayed that God would regard his covenant and not allow darkness to win, the enemy to destroy without consequence, or the poor to be neglected.

We have the advantage of the longer view of God’s kept promises. We know the rest of the story of how God brought forth a Messiah who bore the sins of humanity on the cross, bringing forgiveness and restoration for all. We know about the resurrection of Jesus and of his ascension into Heaven. We know about and are a part of his kingdom as he continues to renew and restore all that is broken. And we know he will return in glory and we will all live in the new Heaven and earth he will establish.  Knowing this, we can trust that when we pray for God’s intervention in our current suffering, he will hear us and defend our cause.

Father, hear our cry of suffering for our community. When we look around, we see a world filled with conflict. We see the work of the enemy as he seeks to destroy what you created for good. We cry to you with the words of Asaph: How long, O God? Is the enemy to revile your name forever? We acknowledge you as the almighty God who has time and time again shown not just your power but your great and abiding love. With great confidence we pray that you would defend your cause and establish your peace in our lives and in our communities. We praise you and acknowledge you as Savior and King. We pray, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Hear our prayer and restore us now and forever, amen. 

Your time with God’s Word
Psalm‬ ‭74‬:‭9‬-‭23‬ ‭ESV

Photo by Matthew Osborn on Unsplash
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