How Long Must I Endure?: Psalm 119:81-88

How Long Must I Endure?

Psalm 119:81-88

So strong was his desire that it produced prostration of spirit. He grew weary with waiting, faint with watching, sick with urgent need.

Charles Spurgeon

Lament. This word has entered my vocabulary this past year as I have journeyed through the psalms, praying and seeking the Lord. I was first introduced to this word when I read Dark Clouds Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop. He defines lament as, "the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God's goodness." One-third of the psalms are lament psalms. God knew His people would face hardships in this broken world, and He gave us ways by which we can cry out in our deepest pain and confusion. He knows we are hurting. He knows we are wrestling. He knows we experience profound pain but still look for His goodness. Psalm 119:81-88 is one of these laments that give voice to our own cries in the midst of pain and waiting on the Lord for deliverance.

The psalmist asks the questions, "When will you comfort me?" (119:82), and "How long must your servant endure?"(119:84). He gets to the heart of why he is in such turmoil. He is waiting expectantly for the Lord, but the waiting has become long, and he doesn't know God's timing. When? When will God act? When will He provide deliverance? When will He vindicate His servant? When will He comfort? How long must he continue to wait, to hold on, to endure? He feels like a "wineskin in the smoke," which shrinks and wastes away. His long-endured suffering and mistreatment had left him feeling depleted and desperate. This may have been how Moses felt when God sent him back to Egypt to rescue His people. The Bible tells us that God saw the affliction of His people and heard their cry. He saw their oppression, and He raised up Moses to be their deliverer. When Moses returns to Egypt and tells Pharaoh to let God's people go, instead of releasing them, Pharaoh makes their labor even more harsh. The oppression is increased and the people, who had been rejoicing when they heard the Lord was concerned for them, are now angry. And Moses turns to the Lord and says, "O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all" (Exodus 5:22-23). Moses, like the psalmist, is crying out to God. "When will You deliver?"

What long trial are you enduring? What dark valley are you walking through? Have you grown weary in the waiting, longing for the salvation of God (119:81)? Let us do as the psalmist did: continue to cry out to God. Though comfort was delayed, though his trial had worn him down inwardly and outwardly, though his persecutors seemed to go unpunished, he continued to cry to the Lord, “Help me!” (119:86).

In Luke 18:1-8, Jesus tells His disciples a parable with the purpose that “at all times they ought to pray and not lose heart” (18:1). He tells the story of a judge that neither feared God nor respected man, and a widow kept coming to him for legal protection. For a while he was unwilling to give her what she requested, but because she kept coming, and kept asking, and kept bothering him, he finally gave her what she requested. That’s how the unrighteousness judge responded to the persevering widow. How does our Righteous Judge respond to His persevering, praying saints? “Now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” (18:7-8) Our God will answer. He will do what is right for us. “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew‬ ‭7‬:‭7‬-‭11‬)

So, how long must you and I endure? We must endure until He gives an answer. Sometimes He answers our requests by giving us our desires. Sometimes He says no, yet He always gives something greater and better than what we asked. We must hold on and persevere, but not alone, and not in our own strength. We must keep our eyes fixed on Him and His promises. We do not need to worry about tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, we will find His grace sufficient in that day. But for today, He will strengthen and uphold us to continue to hope in His Word and continue to ask, seek, and knock until His answer comes. And in the end, we will see the beautiful tapestry He wove in our lives while we were waiting, longing, and praying.

Let's pray with faith through Psalm 119:81-88 for an answer and deliverance in our time of need.

119:81-82 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?”

Lord, I pray:

▫️I am longing for Your salvation, Lord, in my situation. Only You can provide the answer needed in ________. Only Your power can produce the changes needed. Only You. So I come again to You asking You to come quickly to my aid.

▫️I am hoping in Your many and great promises in Your Word. Thank You for the hope that continues to carry me while I am waiting for Your answer. Thank You for the promise that _________.

▫️When will You comfort me? Give me Your comfort whether You answer me quickly or require me to continue to persevere. Help me to feel Your love and nearness in this difficulty.

119:83-84 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?

Lord, I pray:

▫️There are moments, days, and seasons when I feel worn out waiting for what I think is needed. There are times I am tired of asking, seeking, knocking. Help me to not forget Your word which promises me that You give good gifts to those who ask (Luke 18:11). Lord, I am asking for _________. I ask that You do it speedily, if it is according to Your will.

▫️How long must I endure? I know that these trials are producing in me perseverance, character, and hope. But learning to endure and to persevere is hard. Strengthen me for today so that I can continue on until You vindicate me.

▫️"O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you" (Psalm 38:9).

119:85-86 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
Lord, I pray:

▫️You have said that You oppose the proud, but give grace to the humble. Please oppose the proud ones in my life and work humility in my heart as I cast all these burdens on You (1 Peter 5:6-7).

▫️Thank You for the faithful, trustworthy, sure commandments we have in Your Word. Help me to live according to Your way even when others act wrongly toward me. Specifically help me to obey You concerning ________.

▫️I am coming to You like the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-11). I will keep asking and keep seeking until I see Your answer. I know You will bring about what is right for me in this situation.

▫️Help me, Lord! Come to my aid quickly. Please bring about the longed for answer.

119:87-88 They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

Lord, I pray:

▫️It seems at times that these circumstances are wearing me down. Cause Your hope to revive me. I have not forsaken Your precepts. I will continue to walk in Your way and look to You for help, even when I am feeling low.

▫️In Your steadfast love give me life. Revive me again to know joy and life and gladness where now there is heartache, pain, and confusion.

▫️No matter what comes, hold on to me that I may keep Your Word. I do not want to stray from You. Even in the dark valleys, I want to honor Your name because You are worthy of all I am.

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 sashafreemind

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