a rocky road out of prison
“To Yahweh I cry out with my plea. To Yahweh I cry out with entreaty.
I pour out my worry in his presence, in his presence I unfold my troubles.
However faint my spirit; you are watching over my path.
On the road I have to travel they have hidden a trap for me.
Look on my right and see—there is no one who recognizes me.
All refuge is denied me, no one cares whether I live or die.
I cry out to you, Yahweh, I affirm,
‘You are my refuge, my share in the land of the living!’
Listen to my calling, for I am miserably weak.
Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.
Lead me out of prison that I may praise your name.
The upright gather round me because of your generosity to me.”
(Psalm 142, New Jerusalem Bible)
[photo by John Salzarulo on Unsplash]
We speak of the Lenten journey. We hear, “What are you giving up for Lent?”
Well, the psalmist is on a journey. It is a road, and it is a rocky road.
The psalmist is horrified at being encircled by enemies.
There is the cry, “All refuge is denied me, no one cares whether I live or die.”
No one cares whether I live or die.
Persecutors abound. We see others as persecutors.
Is it possible for us to be persecutors?
Lead me out of prison that I may praise your name.
In what prison might we find ourselves? Look deep within.
The Lord can burst the bars of our self-constructed confinement.
May we join with the psalmist in giving and living praise to the Lord.