Lord, you know all my desires and deepest longings. My tears are liquid words, and you can read them all. Psalm 38:9 (TPT)
Life is not always pleasant, happy or fulfilling. Sometimes seasons are challenging, devastating and even just sad. We can find ourselves in the middle of anguish and turmoil without any hope of an escape, or at least that is what we believe. This is not a unique experience reserved for unwise, ungodly sinners; it touches all of us.
When a child is hurt and comes running to mom or dad, sobbing uncontrollably and trying to tell their story, the parents don’t turn away or reprimand them for being emotional. No, somehow, through the tears and emotion, mom or dad translates the sobs into words. It is as if in that moment they are given the gift of interpretation for an indecipherable language. The tears become words, the heart finds expression. It is in that exchange that love is transferred, and a sense of well-being is received. Soon, the tears cease, and the child can run off and play again.
The Psalms are full of David’s laments and honest reflections of his life. He often yo-yoed between the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. In that way, we are not alone. Even the man after God’s own heart was affected by the challenges he faced and the regret of the mistakes he made. But David did not wallow in the pit of despair; he poured out his thoughts, feelings, and tears to God.
It is comforting to know that God receives all of our sorrow and somehow understands our pain. Often, when we are in places of great distress, we are not articulate, reasonable, or even rational; we blubber as a tsunami of emotion rushes from our hearts and out of our mouths. But God hears, deciphers, and knows exactly what we are trying to communicate.
Psalm 38:9 says it this way, “Lord, you know all my desires and deepest longings. My tears are liquid words, and you can read them all.” This is so beautiful. When trouble comes, we can be comforted and assured that God is listening to our prayers. We don’t have to be concerned that it must come out just right or that He only tunes His ear to the perfect prayer. It is disheartening to think that we would believe God to be so cold and callous that, in those moments, He is expecting calm, articulate, holy words coming before His throne.
God, our Father, is waiting to hear our voice and the language of our tears. It is okay to pour out the pieces of our hearts with the full expectation that God understands and does. Jesus said, ” There will be trouble and challenge in the world, but I have overcome it. The hope is not simply that God knows and understands but that He has given us the answer and pathway to the other side.
The comfort of God is not always immediate rescue from pain and tears, but they are not evidence that God has abandoned us; often they are the very place where His nearness is revealed most clearly. He meets us in our sorrow, listens without rejection, and walks with us toward the healing, hope, and peace only He can give.