{"id":3210,"date":"2022-08-12T14:42:17","date_gmt":"2022-08-12T14:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/?p=3210"},"modified":"2022-08-12T14:42:17","modified_gmt":"2022-08-12T14:42:17","slug":"why-cry-out-to-god","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/2022\/08\/12\/why-cry-out-to-god\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Cry Out to God?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[On August 14 I plan to preach from Psalm 119:73-96 under the title, \u201cDeep Cries and Solid Hope.\u201d This devotion on a similar topic is edited and shortened considerably from a sermon preached March 27, 2011. You can listen to that sermon via <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eqotw.org\/media\/?p=565\">this link<\/a>. This was the first of eight sermons in the series, <em>Cry Out to God!<\/em>]<\/p>\n<p>When you are in severe pain \u2013 how do you pray?<\/p>\n<p>Imagine you\u2019ve just learned of an unexpected sorrow:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The death of loved one<\/li>\n<li>A cancer diagnosis of a friend<\/li>\n<li>Someone you looked up to walking away from the faith<\/li>\n<li>Or you\u2019ve just walked away from an angry argument with your spouse.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Do you pray in such circumstances? How?<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes in such cases we are tempted to think, \u201cI can\u2019t possibly pray to God right now! I\u2019m so angry, so hurt, so distracted.\u201d Perhaps you\u2019ve been taught that prayer should begin with praise, and think, \u201cI\u2019m angry with God for letting this happen \u2013 so there\u2019s no way I can praise Him!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or perhaps you convince yourself you really should pray, so you spit out, \u201cYou God are holy, righteous, good, loving, merciful, and gracious, so help this situation, in Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Many psalms include raw, painful cries to God. Psalm 13:1-2 is an example:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\">\u201cHow long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Would you dare to speak to God like that? <em>Should <\/em>you speak to God like that?<\/p>\n<p>God gives us the psalms \u2013 and other prayers from the heart throughout Scripture \u2013 in part to teach us to pray. In prayer, we cry out to our heavenly Father as His beloved children. And the God who knows the number of hairs on our head, the God who knows and controls when a sparrow falls to the ground, cares about the pains and hurts and sorrows of His little children. He <em>wants <\/em>us to come in dependence on Him, to look to Him as our hope, to cry out to Him honestly, truly, from the heart.<\/p>\n<p>Biblical prayer will always be honest. And the biblical pray-er eventually must surrender his will to that of the sovereign, loving God. During our deepest sorrows, that surrender may take considerable time \u2013 and we may surrender in the moment, but then need to do so repeatedly in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 86 is a clear example of both painful crying out and glad surrender to God. Let\u2019s learn from this psalm how to pray in the midst of deep sorrow. We\u2019ll see seven answers to the question: Why cry out? The first three answers are about you, the last four answers are about God.<\/p>\n<p>This psalm has three sections: In Psalm 86:1-7, David cries out in pain and states why God should answer him. Psalm 86:8-13 describe who God is, and detail how David responds to God. In Psalm 86:14-17, David finally describes his specific problem and asks God to answer.<\/p>\n<p><strong>1) Why Cry Out? You are Needy<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Psalm 86:1-4, David calls upon God with six requests: \u201cIncline Your ear,\u201d \u201canswer me,\u201d \u201cpreserve my life,\u201d \u201csave Your servant,\u201d \u201cbe gracious to me,\u201d \u201cgladden Your servant\u2019s soul.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Note the reason David says God should answer him: \u201cI am poor and needy,\u201d \u201cI trust in You,\u201d \u201cto You do I cry all the day,\u201d \u201cto You do I lift up my soul.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The idea behind this last phrase is: \u201cBring joy to my whole being, for my whole being depends on and desires You!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Do you acknowledge that you are needy? That you have no assets to depend on? Are you humbled before God? Or do you approach Him thinking, if God doesn\u2019t come through, you\u2019ll still be ok &#8211; you have savings, you have friends, you have skills, experience, and education.<\/p>\n<p>We need to cry out like David: From a position of need.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2) Why Cry Out? You Deserve Nothing<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Does David ever say, \u201cAnswer me, be good to me, because I deserve it\u201d? No. The statements, \u201cI need You\u201d and \u201cI trust in You\u201d are expressions of dependence, not of desert.<\/p>\n<p>But what about verse 2: \u201cPreserve my life, for I am godly\u201d? Is David saying, \u201cBecause I\u2019m a good guy, save me\u201d?<\/p>\n<p>The NIV reads: \u201cGuard my life, for I am devoted to You.\u201d That sounds quite different from \u201cI am godly\u201d \u2013 and thus is a clue that it might be worthwhile to learn about the Hebrew word. As it turns out, this word \u2013 related to the word translated \u201csteadfast love\u201d in verses 5, 13, and 15 \u2013 is difficult to translate with a single English word. The Hebrew word refers to a person who receives and loyally returns steadfast, covenant love. So we might paraphrase verse 2, \u201cGuard me, for I am in covenant relation with You, loved by You and returning loyal love to You.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So David is not at all saying he deserves God\u2019s answer to his cries.<\/p>\n<p>Just so with us. We are in Christ through absolutely no merit of ours. He died for us while we were sinners. We deserve His punishment, not His love and favor. We can only approach God as those who deserve nothing \u2013 as those who are recipients of His gracious, steadfast, covenant love.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3) Why Cry Out? You are in Danger<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>After speaking generally about his danger, David finally states his specific problem in Psalm 86:14: \u201cInsolent (or \u2018arrogant\u2019) men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless (or \u2018terrifying\u2019) men seeks my life.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Realize: David was God\u2019s chosen servant \u2013 indeed, His chosen king. David was loved by Him. And yet: David was in mortal danger. His enemies were powerful and terrifying.<\/p>\n<p>What does David do?<\/p>\n<p>He doesn\u2019t say blithely, \u201cOh, it will all work out ok; God is in control!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nor does he close his eyes and hope that his enemies will go away.<\/p>\n<p>He cries out! He expresses His dependence! He vocalizes His need!<\/p>\n<p>God does not promise us easy lives; He instead promises us Himself. He promises that He will hear us when we call upon Him. Therefore David, in danger, cries out. So must we.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4) Why Cry Out? He is Gracious <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That is, God extends undeserved favor to the needy.<\/p>\n<p>Psalm 86:5: \u201cYou, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love.\u201c To whom? What is the requirement? \u201cTo all who call upon You.\u201d Thus, there is no requirement, except to cry out in need. He is gracious to the undeserving.<\/p>\n<p>Then Psalm 86:6: \u201cListen to my plea for grace.\u201d Again, David asks for undeserved favor.<\/p>\n<p>Then in Psalm 86:15, David quotes from Exodus 34:6, God\u2019s revelation of His character to Moses on Mt Sinai, as He showed him His glory: \u201cYou are a god merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.\u201d He then calls upon God to show that grace to him.<\/p>\n<p>Our hope is the same as David\u2019s. Because He is gracious, we, the undeserving, can cry out to Him. We honor Him when we approach Him as supplicants. He loves to show His bounty to the undeserving, to display what He is like. And He displays this most clearly at the cross of Jesus.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5) Why Cry Out? He is God of All<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If God were gracious but not mighty, there would be little reason for David to call upon Him. Perhaps He could provide some emotional support, but He couldn\u2019t counter the power of those attacking him.<\/p>\n<p>But as David says in Psalm 86:8, no other power can even approach the Lord God; no creature has ever done anything like Him. Indeed, as verse 9 reminds us, He <em>made<\/em> all the nations, every people group. Thus, He is the Creator even of those who are attacking David. Indeed, these attackers were created to glorify God\u2019s Name.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, as Psalm 86:10 says, He does \u201cwondrous things\u201d \u2013 amazing works, miracles for His covenant people.<\/p>\n<p>So David\u2019s logic is this: \u201cYou alone are almighty God. There is no power equal to Yours. You created and control and can easily overpower all the forces arrayed against me. You exert your mighty power on behalf of your covenant people. So act now in accord with Your character!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Then note what David says in Psalm 86:12: \u201cI will give thanks to You with my whole heart, I will glorify You Name forever.\u201d Since God created all nations to glorify His Name, David says he himself is fulfilling the purpose of his creation by calling out to God and thus glorifying His Name.<\/p>\n<p>The question for us: Do we believe what David believed about God?<\/p>\n<p>We all most likely would make the orthodox statement, \u201cGod is almighty, there is no power equal to His, He created all mankind.\u201d But in the midst of trial, temptation, and difficulty: Do we really believe that God controls all the forces arrayed against us?<\/p>\n<p>Listen:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>He is the God of your parent who is overbearing and of your child who is rebellious<\/li>\n<li>He is the God of your frustrating boss and the God of your noisy neighbor<\/li>\n<li>He is the God of every president and every governor<\/li>\n<li>He is the God of every dictator and every megalomaniac<\/li>\n<li>He is the God who controls tsunamis and the God who controls nuclear reactions<\/li>\n<li>He is the God of ALL.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There is no power that can stand against Him.<\/p>\n<p>He is at work in the lives of all eight billion people on this planet. He is weaving together individual stories that will redound to His glory \u2013 lacing together sorrow and joy, stress and relief, failure and success, to teach us that Jesus is King, to teach us that He reigns, to teach us that He is worthy of all worship and honor and love \u2013 to teach us that He is our only hope, but what a hope!<\/p>\n<p>Do you believe that?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you believe that God can take your unbelieving friend or relative and <em>in an instant <\/em>open his eyes, so that he falls down and worships Jesus?<\/li>\n<li>Do you believe that with a flick of His little finger, God could stop a tsunami in its tracks?<\/li>\n<li>Do you believe that God can give you the power to resist any temptation to sin, and thus do you believe you are without excuse for any decision you make to indulge in anger, or lust, or greed, or laziness, or selfishness?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>This <\/em>is our God: The God of all, the God in control.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6) Why Cry Out? He is <u>Your<\/u> Lord and God<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>David says, \u201cYou are <em>my<\/em> God\u201d (Psalm 86:2, emphasis added).<\/p>\n<p>Do you see why this is so important?<\/p>\n<p>The Lord God has all this power, all this grace \u2013 and He is <em>your<\/em> God! He is <em>your<\/em> heavenly Father! He has made promises to <em>you, <\/em>which He is fully able to keep. He loves <em>you<\/em> with an everlasting love.<\/p>\n<p>And so, since the almighty One is your Lord and God, our final point:<\/p>\n<p><strong>7) Why Cry Out? <\/strong><strong>He Will Answer<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Psalm 86:7: \u201cIn the day of my trouble I call upon You, for You answer me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We see this confidence in God\u2019s answer also in verses 13 and 17:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u201cYou will extend your great loyal love to me, and will deliver my life from the depths of Sheol\u201d (Psalm 86:13 NET).<\/li>\n<li>\u201cYou, O LORD, will help me and comfort me\u201d (Psalm 86:17 NET).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>David recalls God\u2019s past answers, remembers God\u2019s character, and knows that at all points in the future God will show the same love, whatever the dangers might be. God answers His people when they call.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Conclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So where are you?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You too face dangers<\/li>\n<li>You too face trials<\/li>\n<li>You too face sorrows<\/li>\n<li>You too need a God who is gracious and merciful<\/li>\n<li>You too need a God who is almighty, all powerful<\/li>\n<li>You too need a God who answers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>How does this Almighty One, the One who answers, become <em>your<\/em> God?<\/p>\n<p>By your doing what David does in this psalm:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Admit your need for Him &#8211; that you are lost in sin apart from Him, that you cannot overcome sin on your own<\/li>\n<li>Acknowledge that you deserve nothing from Him \u2013 on the contrary, you deserve His punishment for rejecting Him<\/li>\n<li>Confessing that you were made for His glory, and you desire to fulfill that purpose<\/li>\n<li>Accept the gift He offers by His grace \u2013 the gift of salvation through faith in the Son of David, Jesus Himself<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty deserved by all who trust in Him. And God commands all people everywhere to repent, to turn to Him, to believe in the Lord Jesus and so be saved.<\/p>\n<p>So cry out to Him!<\/p>\n<p>If you already have cried out for salvation: Keep crying out! You are still needy! You still deserve nothing from Him! You still are in danger \u2013 most of all from the sin that still fights within you.<\/p>\n<p>So cry out as David cries out in Psalm 86:11: \u201cTeach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>David says, \u201cI need you to guide me, Lord. Unless you lead me, I will make a wrong turn. Lead me on Your road, so I won\u2019t deviate from Your truth. My heart is divided, still seeking after comfort, after status, after recognition. Unite my heart so that I fear only You, I desire only You. Make me wholeheartedly committed to You so that I might fulfill the purpose of my creation: To glorify Your name forever.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So cry out in need, in sorrow, in tragedy. Cry out in surrender. And know: He offers you His power, His love &#8211; Himself. At no cost to you He says: Come to me: You will be my people. I will be your God.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[On August 14 I plan to preach from Psalm 119:73-96 under the title, \u201cDeep Cries and Solid Hope.\u201d This devotion on a similar topic is edited and shortened considerably from&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,15,24],"tags":[363,2556,391,749,2557,946,1010,1120,1195,1253,1484,1519],"class_list":["post-3210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-devotions","category-sermons","tag-crying-out","tag-danger","tag-dependence","tag-how-long","tag-lord-of-all","tag-love","tag-merit","tag-pain","tag-prayer","tag-psalm-86","tag-sovereignty","tag-suffering"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3210"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3211,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3210\/revisions\/3211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.desiringgodchurch.org\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}