Pour Your Heart Out

Psalm 35:1-10 Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to me, “I am your salvation.” - Psalm 35:1-3 “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” If you’re like me, you heard that a lot growing up. This is wise advice, especially when we are angry with someone. But all too often we carry it over into our prayer life as well. We keep our true emotions and honest thoughts to ourselves when we talk to God. Eugene Peterson writes, “It’s easy to be honest before God with our Hallelujahs; somewhat more difficult with our hurts; it is nearly impossible to be honest before God in the dark emotions of our hate.” In Psalm 35, David was brutally honest with God. He cries out in frustration and anger at being unfairly accused and persecuted. For once, David was not crying out because he was suffering as a consequence of his sin (there are plenty of other examples of that). This is not a psalm of repentance. It’s a call for vengeance, poured out in pain before God. Have you ever been angered or wronged by someone else? A good counselor will tell you to journal what you are feeling – to put it all out there and let the emotions flow. God is a good counselor, who by including Psalms like this one in Scripture gives us permission to pour out the full range of our emotions to Him. The words of Psalm 35, and others like it, become the earnest plea of those who suffer unjustly. By asking God to take charge of the situation and begging Him to defeat his enemies, David is acknowledging God’s sovereignty. Rather than acting on his emotions, he’s handing them over to God. God listened to David’s cry for vengeance, but God alone got to choose how to respond. And God kept David from taking revenge on his enemies. In all the years that Saul pursued David, David never laid a hand on him (1 Sam 24 & 26). Rather than seeking revenge and so sinning in our anger, we are invited to rid ourselves of our bitterness, anger and rage by being honest with God. Then we can acknowledge that God is sovereign and we can put our trust in His righteousness and His salvation.

Once David poured out his anger, he could praise God.

“Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord, And delight in his salvation. My whole being will exclaim, “Who is like you, Lord? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them The poor and needy from those who rob them.” (Ps. 35:9-10)

God already knows what we are feeling, so go ahead and be honest with Him. Pour your heart out. Use the words of Psalm 35. Then in your anger you won’t sin, but rather you’ll find relief. A right perspective. And a sovereign God like no other.

~ Anneke de Jong