“Lord, listen to me and hear me when I request help for my troubles. Answer me quickly and don’t turn away because I hurt all the time and my life is disappearing like smoke. I’ve lost my appetite to eat anything, and I am reduced to just skin and bones.
I am like a lonely owl or sparrow that’s lost in the desert, and I cannot sleep.
My enemies are always criticizing and cursing me, destroying my reputation. I have lost my appetite to eat and my tears fill up a glass.
You Lord have cast me aside and You punish me in Your anger. My future is a black shadow, and I am drying up like cut grass.
But You Lord live forever and will be known in coming generations. You will show Your love and favor on Jerusalem and will restore Your city in the future. You love the stones that were used to build Jerusalem and even the dirt on which it was built. Leaders of nations that hate Jerusalem will see Your protection for the city and will tremble. You will demonstrate Your glory by rebuilding Jerusalem and ultimately answer the prayers of its protectors who have been attacked and defeated” (Psalm 102:1-17).
1. A prayer of David when chased by Saul. “Hear me when I pray, O Lord; listen to my request for help. Do not hide Your face from me when I am in trouble” (v. 1, Praying The Psalms).
2. Psalm 102 is a prayer of one afflicted and overwhelmed.
a. Where is God? “Hide not Thy face from me (v. 2).
b. Prayer from the heart. “Hear my prayer ...” (v. 1)
c. Ask for God’s presence. “Incline Thine ear to me” (v. 2).
d. Urgency. “Answer me speedily” (v. 2).
3. A Messianic prayer of Jesus when suffering the agony of the cross.
a. World’s hatred. “They that are mad against Me” (v. 8).
b. Details of death. “Mingled My drink” (v. 9). “They filled a sponge with vinegar ... and put it to His mouth” (John 19:20).
c. The Passover Lamb. “My bones hurt” (v. 3). “A bone of Him shall not be broken” (John 19:36).
d. Execution spectacle. “Lifted Me up” (v. 10). “They crucified Him” (Matt. 27:35).
e. Jesus became sin. “Hide not Thy face from me” (v. 2).
f. Actual death. “Cast me down” (v. 10). “He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth” (Eph. 4:9).
A. WHY WE ARE LONELY
1. Physical pain isolates us from others, i.e., sickness, accidents, etc. Paul and Silas in prison were “praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25).
2. Loneliness after the death of a loved one. Jesus did not prevent death but pointed Mary and Martha to the resurrection. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25).
3. Storms (circumstances) cut us off from others. We must learn the presence of Jesus in storms. “It is I, do not be afraid” (Matt. 14:27).
4. We feel lonely when lost in the night. “The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light” (Exodus 13:21).
5. When we give into temptation, we are lonely and cut off from God. “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation” (Psalm 51:12).
6. When we cannot connect with others. “And he prayed that he might die ... Lord take my life” (1 Kings 19:4). “I alone am left, and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10).
7. You feel isolated when someone is trying to get you. “Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul and deliver me” (Psalm 31:19-20).
8. You feel isolated when you are messed up. “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some” (John 21:6).
B. WHAT LONELY PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW
1. God will always be there. “You O Lord, shall endure forever” (v. 12).
2. God sees you. “He looked down from the heights of His sanctuary” (v. 19).
3. God does not reject your prayers. “He ... shall not despise their prayer” (v. 17).
4. God knows your pain. “He ... (will) hear the groaning” (v. 20).
5. God can help you get through. “He shortened my days” (v. 23).
6. God can change things. “Like a cloak you will change them, and they will be changed” (v. 26).
Lord, I cry desperately to You in my time of affliction for You to intervene in my trouble, and restore me to the joy of Your fellowship so I can enjoy living for You. Amen.
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God and rejoice with you.
Dr. Towns’ email is eltowns@liberty.edu.
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