Gospel Reflections #1119: We press God for a swift answer

Psalm 69:16–18‘16: O Lord, answer me in your great mercy; in your abundant compassion, look upon me. 17: Do not hide your face from your servant; I am in distress. Answer me quickly. 18: Draw near to me, redeem me, and save me from my enemies.’

In Psalm 69, David likens his difficulties to being on the verge of drowning in deep water with no solid ground beneath his feet.

David was crushed by deep anguish and tormented by those filled with hostility.

David acknowledged that he was a sinner and that his sins were known to God, yet he could find no specific reason why his enemies hated him.

David had done nothing to provoke such intense hatred.

David implores God to ensure that his situation does not hinder the progress of others or bring shame upon them.

David prays, relying not on his own merits but on God’s abundant love and mercy itself.

This is likely because, even in his dire straits, his trust is founded on the certainty that ‘God is watching over David’.

The phrase ‘do not hide your face’ describes a painful situation in which it feels as though God has turned his gaze away from David or is absent.

The plea ‘answer me quickly’ reveals a raw, unvarnished anguish and candour.

It is said that God accepts such childlike, candid prayers.

The words ‘draw near to me’ signify a shift from a sense of abandonment to an intimacy in which one surrenders oneself to God and places complete trust in Him.

He seeks ‘redemption’ and ‘salvation’, pleading for protection from enemies who unjustly accuse him and from slander and defamation.

We, too, react in much the same way as David when we find ourselves in desperate circumstances.

We press God for a swift answer.

Although God never leaves our side, the state of our hearts causes the distance between us and God to shift.

By seeking Him with all our might, as David did, we can turn our hearts away from ourselves and towards God.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.