Read
(A psalm by David for the music leader.)
A Prayer for Help
1I patiently waited, Lord,
for you to hear my prayer.
You listened 2and pulled me
from a lonely pit
full of mud and mire.
You let me stand on a rock
with my feet firm,
3and you gave me a new song,
a song of praise to you.
Many will see this,
and they will honor and trust
you, the Lord God.
4You bless all of those
who trust you, Lord,
and refuse to worship idols
or follow false gods.
5You, Lord God, have done
many wonderful things,
and you have planned
marvelous things for us.
No one is like you!
I would never be able to tell
all you have done.
6 Sacrifices and offerings
are not what please you;
gifts and payment for sin
are not what you demand.
But you made me willing
to listen and obey.
7And so, I said, “I am here
to do what is written
about me in the book,
where it says,
8‘I enjoy pleasing you.
Your Law is in my heart.’ ”
9When your people worshiped,
you know I told them,
“Our Lord always helps!”
10When all your people met,
I did not keep silent.
I said, “Our Lord is kind.
He is faithful and caring,
and he saves us.”
11You, Lord, never fail
to have pity on me;
your love and faithfulness
always keep me secure.
12I have more troubles
than I can count.
My sins are all around me,
and I can't find my way.
My sins outnumber
the hairs on my head,
and I feel weak.
13Please show that you care
and come to my rescue.
Hurry and help me!
14Disgrace and confuse
all who want me dead;
turn away and disgrace
all who want to hurt me.
15Embarrass and shame
everyone who says,
“Just look at you now!”
16Our Lord, let your worshipers
rejoice and be glad.
They love you for saving them,
so let them always say,
“The Lord is wonderful!”
17I am poor and needy,
but, Lord God,
you care about me,
and you come to my rescue.
Please hurry and help.
Reflect
“Testimony” can be one of those “Christian words” that gets bandied about, as in “I shared my testimony with my friend.” Sounds holy, right? Or intimidating; after all, “testimony” is also what one gives in a courtroom. But put simply, a testimony is a story, a telling of what happened during a particular instance in your life.
For those who follow Jesus, it’s a chance to share how God is working in your life. For those still searching, it’s an opportunity to consider evidence of what being a God follower is all about.
Everyone has a story to tell. They’re all important. God is at work, even if you have yet to discover what it means to have a relationship with him.
Interspersed between personal petitions for deliverance is the Psalmist’s “testimony,” the story of how God lifted him out of a lonely pit full of mud and mire. God gave him a new song, fresh hope. “Our Lord always helps!” he proclaims. “Our Lord is kind. He is faithful and caring, and he saves us!”
The Psalmist wants many to hear, so they may learn to honour and trust God as well.
But he is honest as well. Our stories are not all roses and beauty. There are hard, ugly times, even for people who have been Jesus followers for a long time. The Psalmist doesn’t try to hide the fact. He’s praises God, while admitting that he struggles. He has “more troubles than [he] can count” and his “sins are all around [him], and [he] can’t find [his] way. He feels weak and threatened.
This is part of the story, too. So be honest. Life can be hard, but God is faithful. If we are to be authentic followers of Jesus, we need to tell it like it is.
Respond
Lord, you are the Great Author of my story. Give me the courage to share my journey with others, to be honest about where I’ve come from and where I’m at. God, you are faithful to walk beside me through the hard times I face. May I share my story with honesty and conviction. Amen.
Kelly Rempel
Kelly Rempel is a wife, mother of two, writer and Jesus-follower. She lives in Winnipeg, MB where she is developing her passion for introducing children and their families to Jesus in her role as Family Ministry Director at Braeside Evangelical Church. She formerly served as the Senior Editor for ChristianWeek, a national publication focused on Christian faith and life in Canada (and beyond). She grew up in northern B.C., obtained her journalism diploma at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton, and attended Bethany Bible Institute (now Bethany College) in Hepburn, SK, before moving to Winnipeg. In her spare time, Kelly enjoys trying her hand at various creative pursuits.