# 122 When tears Pray

 

When Tears Pray

 

Ps 42:1 <<To the Chief Musician. A Contemplation of the sons of Korah.>> As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God.

 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?

 3 My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, "Where is your God?"

 

Did you ever consider that your tears are a prayer? The psalmist says here that a tear is a petition to God that asks. “where are You God?”

 

A tear that asks, “Where are you in the midst of this relationship gone sour?” A watery eye wondering “Where are you in my financial calamity?”  Salty drops that question, “Where are you in the midst of this illness? A mournful sob that asks, “Where are you in the midst of my child’s rebellion?” These are all heartfelt prayers flowing from your tear ducts and they are duly noted by your loving heavenly Father.

 

Not one drop is missed as it says in  Ps 56:8, “You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book?”

 

The psalmist was in tears in part because he missed going to church and gathering with the saints. (Sound familiar these days?) He says, “ 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast.

Then in verse 5 a jolting question to bring the sobbing saint back to reality: “Hey, wait a minute! “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance.

 

God has noted your tears, now put your hope in Him to take care of the situation in His perfect will and timing. Ride this out! You will yet praise Him for the help of His countenance. (Countenance… the turning of His merciful face toward you and your situation!)

 

Then note the last verse of this Psalm. It is the same as verse 5 with one exception. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.

The exception being, now we are talking about your countenance, the look on your face. He is the help of your countenance and will turn your sorrows into joyful praise.