Psalm 22; 1 Samuel 24-25:1

First we have Psalm 22 where David is crying out to the Lord for help. He feels abandoned and knows that he has enemies seeking him out. Halfway through the psalm the tone changes. Now, David is praising the Lord for hearing his cries and encourages others to do the same. This psalm is prophetic and ultimately points us to Jesus Christ and his work & words on the cross.

In 1 Samuel 24 we see the heart and character of David. He has a wide open opportunity to kill Saul without anyone knowing. Instead of killing him, he cuts off a corner of his robe, an action he regrets. Yet, he uses the action to prove that he does not have evil intentions toward Saul. At this, Saul recognizes that David will indeed replace him as king at some point.

This psalm is one we can all relate to at some point in our lives. There are times when we feel like the world is crashing in around us and God is nowhere to be found. It is in these times that we need to take hold of the promises of Scripture, such as Psalm 22:24. God is not ignoring us. He hears our cries for help. And he will answer us. In turn, our only right response, like David, is worship and praise to God.

Do you trust that God hears & answers the cries of the hurting & oppressed? Do you believe God is always near?