It was past midnight, but I couldn’t sleep because my heart was aching and I needed comfort. I got up and went to my prayer corner, lit a candle and stood pouring out my heart with tears to the Lord. The things that troubled me were beyond my control and I was exhausted from trying to figure them out.

The Lord understood why I was there and I sensed his kind presence surrounding me. I sat down in a chair, and as I pulled my Bible into my lap Psalm 131 came to my mind. I read the words quietly to myself several times and let them sink into my heart.

“My heart is not proud, Lord, my eyes are not haughty; I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me. But I have calmed and quieted myself, I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.” Psalm 131:1-2

The things I fretted about were too big for me to understand and I was restless because I couldn’t get what I demanded from the Lord. He wanted me to stop squirming in protest so he could speak to me. I needed to become like a weaned child who has learned to be in her mother’s presence without demanding anything from her.

I stopped struggling and quietness settled over my soul. The Lord shifted my attention from my pain, to the wonder of his strength, wisdom and willingness to help me, and I handed him my troubles, one by one. Then I returned to Psalm 131:3 and changed the wording so it read,

“Cheryl, put your hope in the Lord both now and forevermore.”

 Psalm 131 had led me to peace.

Psalms of Ascent

There are fifteen Psalms or Songs of Ascent that the people of Israel sang as they traveled to Jerusalem three times a year. Jerusalem is elevated above the surrounding terrain so people literally ascended to reach it. There were also fifteen steps up the Temple when they went to worship; fifteen steps accompanied by fifteen Psalms of Ascent.

All of these Psalms had joyful messages to cheer the hearts of pilgrims. Jesus would have sung these Psalms with his family and friends as he made his way to Jerusalem, especially in the last week of his life. They would have gladdened his heart – as they had ever since he first walked to Jerusalem as a small child.

Four of the fifteen Songs of Ascent are attributed to David (Psalms 122, 124, 131 and 133). Psalm 133 in today’s reading is a celebration of unity among God’s people. It compares unity to sacred oil poured out on Aaron’s head, so liberally applied that it flowed down his beard and onto his collar. Oil represented the presence of the Spirit of God. Being one in heart allows God’s people to experience his Spirit abundantly.

Psalm 133 also mentions Mount Hermon in the far north of Israel and Mount Zion in the south where Jerusalem stands. Abundant rain and snow flowed from Mount Hermon to fill the Jordan River, the main source of water for most of Israel. Mount Zion would have been so refreshed if dew ever fell on it the way it fell on Mount Hermon. David suggested that unity among God’s people was as refreshing and life giving as the sparkling dew on Mount Hermon.

Psalm 139, God’s Omniscience

In Psalm 139 David focused on two attributes of God: His omniscience and his omnipresence.

Omniscience is God’s knowledge of everything that ever has been, is now, and ever will be. David appreciated God’s personal knowledge of him.

 “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.” Psalm 139:1-6

Some people might not like the idea of God knowing everything they think, say, and do, and they could be uneasy knowing God sees them wherever they go. But David accepted it as an amazing fact of his life.

He marveled that God knew from before his birth how many days he was going to live. God never stopped thinking about David, day and night. His thoughts flowed at such a rate it was impossible to guess how many there are.

Did the fact that God knew everything about him put David off? No. He made his life an open book before the Lord and invited him to know him even better. He hoped to be led by the knowledge God had of him.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24

God’s Omnipresence

David wondered whether there was anywhere he could go and escape God’s presence, and he concluded it wasn’t possible. Not that David wanted to get away from God’s presence! He counted on God to guide him and keep him close.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10

Before David was born, God was present with him. He superintended the weaving together of David’s body, a work that only God could do.

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

David didn’t mind knowing that God was always with him and knew him so thoroughly. It was a comfort to know that he could never get separated from God, especially in the hard times, when darkness closed in.

“If I say, ‘Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,’ even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.” Psalm 139:11-12

Psalm 141

David knew God was always with him, but he still called out to him in prayer. He presented his prayers like an offering to God.

“I call to you, Lord, come quickly to me; hear me when I call to you. May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” Psalm 141:1-2

Sometimes, knowing his weaknesses and temptations, David prayed for protection.

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers; do not let me eat their delicacies.” Psalm 141:3-4

David also prayed for faithful friends who could help him stay on course in his life.

“Let a righteous man strike me – that is a kindness; let him rebuke me – that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it, for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.” Psalm 141:5

Finally, David made a promise to God, that he would keep him always in view.

“But my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord; in you I take refuge – do not give me over to death.” Psalm 141:8

Bold Prayers

These Psalms reveal David’s innermost thoughts. He wasn’t afraid to record the good with the bad in his life, and air out all of his feelings. He didn’t censor himself in prayer.

How about you? Do you find yourself being careful about what you say to the Lord?

Sometimes we think that if we say the wrong thing, the Lord will count it a sin . . . and sometimes what we think is sinful!

But telling the Lord the truth about what goes on in our hearts is the quickest way to catch and kill sinful thinking. The Lord already knows our thoughts; when we say them out loud to him we can see our sins and mistakes more clearly and confess them.

It’s better for us to voice our dark thoughts to the Lord in prayer than to bottle them up and risk having them emerge somewhere else in our lives.

Don’t be afraid to tell the Lord the truth. He already knows all about you, and he’s ready to help.