A Prayer of Grace for the Languishing

Psalm 114

The Psalms also teach us to live with hope, with hope that the King is coming.

Mark Futato, Transformed by Praise

Psalm 114 poetically reminds Israel of God’s mighty works on their behalf. The psalmist describes the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea and the Jordan River, the quaking of Mount Sinai at the presence of the Lord, and God’s provision of water in the wilderness. These miraculous events were evidence of the leading, providing, and shepherding the God of Jacob had performed for His people. But for post-exilic Jews, this was not the end of the story. This reminder of God’s faithfulness would hopefully recall to their minds the words of Jeremiah, “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land” (Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭7‬-‭8‬). God was heaping grace upon grace on His people.

“One purpose of the Psalms was and is to create a sense of hope that one day the King would come to put everything in our lives and in the world in right order once for all” (Futato). This was the purpose of Psalm 114. The psalmist wanted to instill hope in the Jews, that despite the chastisement of the Lord carried out in the exile, their God continues to be the faithful God through whom they “found grace in the wilderness” (Jeremiah 31:2), and He is the one who said, “Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him” (Jeremiah 31:20 NASB). The God who led them through the wilderness, with its fiery serpents and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought water for them out of the rock and fed them with manna from heaven, did all those things in order that He might humble them and test them in order to do good to them in the end (Deuteronomy 8:15-16). God promised through Jeremiah that the weary and languishing ones would again find grace and rest.

The Lord declared His everlasting love for them and how He had drawn them with His lovingkindness. He promised them He would again build them, again they would take up tambourines and rejoice, they would again plant vineyards (Jeremiah 31:3-5). He would lead them and make them walk by streams of waters, a stark contrast to the thirsty ground of the wilderness. He would be their father and shepherd. They would be radiant over the bounty of the Lord’s provision, and their lives would be like watered gardens, never languishing again (31:12). He would turn their mourning into joy, comforting them and giving them joy for their sorrow. And they would be satisfied with His goodness (31:13-14). And if all of that was not enough, He promised a new and better covenant. A covenant where He would now write His law in their hearts and on their minds (31:31-33). This covenant would be a covenant where the blood of bulls and goats would no longer be necessary because a greater sacrifice was offered once for all (Hebrews 9:12). A covenant where His people would now have direct access to His throne because of their permanent and perfect Mediator and High Priest (Hebrews 4:16). A covenant where their perfect obedience would be fulfilled for them by their Elder Brother (Romans 5:19). A covenant which would provide for them perfect rest (Hebrews 4:9-10). The Lord of hosts promised, "I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish" (Jeremiah 31:25).

These promises are for those who are found in Christ. The ransoming and redeeming of Israel out of slavery, their journey through the wilderness to the promised land, their chastisement administered by the Lord because of their idolatry, and their eventual return and restoration to their homeland are all pictures and examples for us of God's faithful dealings with His people. Whatever we may be experiencing, whatever road on which we may find ourselves, we know God's grace will carry us through. He beckons us, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew‬ ‭11‬:‭28‬-‭30‬). In Christ, our mourning is turned to joy. In Christ, there is an exchange for joy instead of sorrow. In Christ, we find mercy. In Christ, we are satisfied with His goodness. In Christ, there is rest for the weary and refreshing of our souls when we are languishing. We can live in this hope knowing that our King is coming. And one day, when we close our eyes to this world and whatever joys and sorrows we have faced, we will open our eyes to a place of greater joy, greater beauty, greater knowing and being known, greater satisfaction and contentment than we ever imagined possible. And then we shall be radiant with the goodness of the Lord eternally and languish no more (Jeremiah 31:12).

Let’s pray through Psalm 114 for grace and strength for the weary and languishing.

Out From Egypt

114:1-2 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion.

Let’s pray:

▫️As the Lord delivered His people from Egypt, relieving their burdens, He would relieve the burdens of those who are feeling weighed down by the circumstances of their lives. In their trouble, they would call to Him, and He would rescue them and answer them (Psalm 81:6-7).

▫️The powerful hand the Lord used to deliver His people would work mightily on behalf of the weary. He would rescue them quickly and be the rock of their strength. They would trust in the Lord and rejoice in His lovingkindness, because He sees their affliction and He knows the troubles of their soul (Psalm 31:2, 6-7).

▫️For the ones feeling tossed about by life’s troubles, the Lord would place their feet firmly upon a rock and surround them with His songs of deliverance.

The salvation of the Lord

114:3-6 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?

Let’s pray:

▫️The Lord would fight for those who are feeling downtrodden. They would wait patiently for His help and deliverance. But while they wait, they would be eagerly watching to see how the Lord will accomplish His salvation on their behalf (Exodus 14:13).

▫️As the Lord swept back the sea for the Israelites, He would make a way through the current difficulties that the weary face. He would lead them by streams of water, something that would refresh them. He would guide them on straight paths so that they know clearly what they are to do. He would be their Father and keep them as a shepherd keeps his flock (Jeremiah 31:9-10).

▫️They would look to Him and be radiant over the bounty of the Lord that He provides during this difficult season. Their lives would be like a watered garden, and they would not languish again (Jeremiah 31:12).

Water from the rock

114:7-8 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

Let’s pray:

▫️In the midst of these hard times, the Lord would bring beauty. He would turn their mourning into joy, comfort them, and give them joy for their sorrow. He would fill their souls with abundance, and they would be satisfied when His goodness, even though their current situation is so difficult (Jeremiah 31:13-14).

▫️They would know the tender mercy of the Lord, and He would satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes (Jeremiah 31:25).

▫️Those who are weary and heavy laden would come to Christ and He would give them rest. They would take Christ’s yoke upon them, and they would learn from Him, for He is gently and lowly and they would find rest for their souls. They would exchange their heavy burdens for His easy yoke and light burden (Matthew 11:28-30).

May the Lord do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, for His glory and our good. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Photo credit to anniespratt.

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