Psalm 102
But You, O Lord, abide forever, and Your name to all generations. – Psalms 102:12 NASB
This is one of those Psalms most of us can relate to. We've all had times in our lives where we felt just the Psalmist did. He is crying out to God. He is asking God to hear his prayer, but he feels as if God has turned a deaf ear to his plight. Things are so bad, he can't sleep, he's lost his appetite, and he feels like everything is caving in on him. Sound familiar? It does to me. The fact is, we all go through moments like that, because it is part of living in a fallen world. We are surrounded by hurt and heartache. People do mean things to other people. Difficulties and trials come, and seemingly, always at the wrong time. It was true in the Psalmist's day and it is true in our day. Some things never change.
But right in the middle of this Psalm of lament, we read the word "But," and with it, the Psalmist takes a slightly different direction with his message. He reminds himself and us that God is also unchanging. In the midst of all the suffering and sorrow of life, God is a consistent and constant presence. For the Psalmist, the temple in Jerusalem was the dwelling place of God's presence. It was there that He met with His people. But God is also enthroned on high and from His unique vantage point He can look down on the sufferings of mankind and act. He hears the groanings of the prisoner. He sets free those doomed to death. God is not bound by time or limited in how He can deal with the difficulties we encounter in this life. The Psalmist compares the brevity of his own life to the eternalness of God. He is finite. God is infinite. God will outlast the very world He created. He will be around long after we are gone. His years will not come to an end, but ours will. And while my life may end, God will still be there faithfully and sovereignly interacting with those who follow after me. Suffering is a part of life. So is the sovereignty of God. So when we think everything is out of control, we need to remind ourselves that He is not.
Father, help me to continue to learn to focus on You and not my surroundings. You are the unchanging one. You are the ONLY thing I can count on in this life. You are consistent and constant, faithful and unfailing. And Your eternalness reminds me that I have a secure future – forever. This is NOT all there is. Amen