“Oh, That I Had Wings!”

“Give ear to my prayer, O God,
    and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!
Attend to me, and answer me;
    I am restless in my complaint and I moan,
because of the noise of the enemy,
    because of the oppression of the wicked.
For they drop trouble upon me,
    and in anger they bear a grudge against me.

My heart is in anguish within me;
    the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Fear and trembling come upon me,
    and horror overwhelms me.
And I say, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove!
    I would fly away and be at rest…
I would hurry to find a shelter
    from the raging wind and tempest…’

But I call to God,
    and the Lord will save me.
Evening and morning and at noon
    I utter my complaint and moan,
    and he hears my voice.
He redeems my soul in safety
    from the battle that I wage,
    for many are arrayed against me.
God will give ear and humble them,
    he who is enthroned from of old.

Cast your burden on the Lord,
    and he will sustain you;
he will never permit
    the righteous to be moved…
But I will trust in you.” Psalm 55:1-6,8,12-14,16-19a,22,23c

David’s troubles were great and unrelenting. Violence, betrayal of friends, numberless agonies of soul pressed hard until a song of lament issued forth. If only he could escape the constant friction, fly far from the pain… So he poured out his heart to the only One who could hear and understand and hold his tears. (Psalm 55:9-15)

It is natural, in the midst of seemingly endless pain and strife, to wonder how we can live with joy or hope, above the fray. We want to flee, to remove ourselves from the weight of pressure, taunts, and terrors that constantly threaten to undo us. Our soul’s answer isn’t in escape, or the eradication of trials, but in where we fix our trust. The only balm is on the wings of Christ who bears us up. (Psalm 56:3-4; Isaiah 40:28-31; Romans 8:31-34)

What legitimate causes have we to moan in complaint today? Are we suffering spiritual oppression at work or within our families or friend groups? Is there a physical pain or condition that gnaws with fear about the future? Have we been deceived, betrayed, hurt by someone close to us? Would we fly to Jesus? Would we take our burdens to Him and rest on His everlasting arms? Our God is for us and will sustain us to the end! (Deuteronomy 33:27)

“You have kept count of my tossings;
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise,
    in the Lord, whose word I praise,
in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?..

I will render thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.” Psalm 56:8-13

Lord, may I constantly fly to You so I pulse with Your life and proclaim Your graces and glory.