570_Experiencing God’s nearness in times of trouble (Psalm 119:145-152) Psalm 119:145-152 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. 146 I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies. 147 I rise before dawn and cry for help; I hope in your words. 148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise. 149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life. 150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law. 151 But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true. 152 Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. Some years ago, a young woman named Sarah found herself sitting in a hospital waiting room late one night. Her father had suffered a massive heart attack, and the doctors were uncertain whether he would survive till morning. The hospital lights flickered dimly, the corridors were silent, and she felt utterly alone. She had prayed, but her words seemed to vanish into the ceiling. She opened her Bible with trembling hands and her eyes fell on Psalm 34:18: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” As she read those words, she began to weep. Not tears of despair this time, but of recognition—that even in her darkest hour, she was not alone. God was near. That night didn’t end with instant healing or miraculous recovery. But Sarah would later say that it was in that waiting room, not in a Sunday service or a joyful celebration, that she first felt the nearness of God—quiet, steady, and real. The nearness of God is often most deeply experienced not on the mountaintop, but in the valley. It’s not when everything is going well, but when life feels most fragile. This is the heartbeat of Psalm 119:145–152, where the psalmist, in his own distress, discovers that the God who seems far away is actually right beside him. This section of Psalm 119 records an impassioned cry for help. The psalmist doesn’t disguise his pain or attempt to sound composed. He opens his heart entirely before God: “With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes. I call to you; save me, that I may observe your testimonies.” (vv. 145–146) The words “with my whole heart” reveal the intensity of his prayer. This isn’t a half-hearted plea; it’s the cry of a man who has reached the end of his strength. Yet notice something profound: his ultimate desire is not merely deliverance from trouble—it is faithfulness to God. “Save me, that I may observe your testimonies.” He prays for life, not so that he can return to comfort or ease, but so that he can continue to serve and glorify God. His life revolves around God’s glory, not his own agenda. Even in desperation, his heart remains aligned with God’s purposes. There’s something beautiful about this. Many of us, when
