But...

Psalm 13 is a prayer for help when in trouble. David prayed a lot of these prayers, because David was in trouble a lot!

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

We are invited to pour out our hearts to God.  We can be honest about our thoughts and feelings. Maybe we feel lost and think God is silent when we talk to him.  Or perhaps we feel defeated and unable to get up and fight.

However, when we pour out our hearts in anguish to God, there should always be a transition in our prayer time, after the moans and groans…

It comes in this prayer after the “But…”

David recalls God’s lovingkindness, his salvation and his bountiful gifts that God has given David, and it causes him to switch from moaning to rejoicing…from sorrow to singing.

It’s okay to cry, wail, and weep.  It’s good for the soul. But we don’t have to stay there.  Once we’ve poured it all out, then it’s time to offer up praise. 

Both petition and praise need to be present, because without praise, the petitions are just burdens we carry to God and then pick up again and carry around.

And that’s heavy.

Today…pour out your heart…then listen for the song…and sing it.