Crying (Psalm 6)

“Turn LORD and deliver me, save me because of your unfailing love.” (Psalm 6:4)

We continue our series on Spirituality for Dark Times with Psalm 6, ‘Crying’.

Spirituality for Dark Times: Crying, Psalm 6

Eeyore or Tigger?

Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger?

You are probably familiar with the characters from Winnie the Pooh. Eeyore is the ultimate negative person. Always seeing the problems of life, a bit of a depressive. Tigger is the opposite, everything is positive, everything is positive.

So, how much are you like Eeyore and how much are you like Tigger? And how does that match your spirituality?

The most Tigger book in the Bible? – Philippians

From a spirituality point of view, Philippians is probably the most Tigger like book.

It is Thankful: Paul begins the letter with:

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…” (Philippians 1:4)

It looks on the bright side: Speaking about his imprisonment Paul says.

“Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.” (Philippians 1:14)

Mustn’t Grumble: It wants against grumbling

“Do everything without complaining or arguing,” (Philippians 2:14)

Rejoicing Always: Tells us always to rejoice

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4)

Being Content: And encourages contentment no matter what the circumstances:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12)

All of these statements would be applauded by a Tigger, but an Eeyore would struggle with all these statements.

The Most Eeyore Poem? – Psalm 6

When we come to Psalm 6, however, surely this is much more of an Eeyore spirituality?

• Trembling before God: There is a kind of negativity that is afraid of God’s wrath and death:

“LORD do not rebuke me in your anger,

or discipline me in your wrath.” (vs. 1)

“Among the dead no one proclaims your name.

Who praises you from the grave?” (vs. 5)

• Grumbling before God:

And it goes big on the problems that the writer is facing, which seem to be either a life threatening illness, gloated over by enemies or oppression by enemies, leading to stress and physical suffering, is it an actual illness. But it goes on about the problems with great passion:

“…I am faint…

… my bones are in agony…

my soul is in deep anguish…

How long, LORD, how long…?” (vs. 2-3)

“I am worn out from my groaning

All day long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

My eyes grow weak with sorrow;

they fail because of all my foes.”

• Lacking Tigger Spirituality:

Needless to say it seems at first glance to be completely lacking the Tigger Spirituality of Philippians:

• Where is the thanksgiving and the joy?
• Why the focus on all that is wrong, with no mentions of the positives?
• Isn’t this just grumbling about his situation?
• Where is the joy or rejoicing?
• Where is the attempt to be content in every situation?

What does true Christian Spirituality look like?

Where does this leave us with Christian spirituality? Are we meant to be Tiggers always focussing on the positives and praising and rejoicing in God? Or are we meant to be more like the Eeyore’s bringing the real struggles and pain before God? Both have their problems.

A Tigger spirituality can be emotionally uplifting, encouraging and motivating, but if it denies or glosses over the real pain we may be suffering, then it becomes untruthful. The result? The tension between our outer gloss of joy and our inner pain will tear us apart. Tigger spirituality will not help us through dark times.

On the other hand, Eeyore spirituality although it faces the reality of suffering and pain, grumbling alone will not lift us from despair, it will only lead us into self-pity and depression. Eeyore spirituality will not help us through dark times either.

What we need is a deeper understanding of what Paul means by “Rejoice in the Lord always” in Philippians. After all, Paul was not unwilling to share the emotional pain and suffering that he often experienced through life. Even in Philippians he is real about the pain and suffering faced by Christians:

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him, since you are going through the same struggle you saw I had, and now hear that I still have.” (Philippians 1:29-30)

You also get the sense from Paul, that rejoicing in the LORD is not always straightforward:

“But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering… which is figurative for sacrificial suffering –  on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.” (Philippians 2:17)

And actually Psalm 6, despite its passionate description of suffering, does in a less obvious way, “Rejoice in the Lord.” It demonstrates a spirituality that brings the deep reality of one’s pain and suffering before God, whilst nonetheless rejoicing in God as our gracious saviour.

Psalm 6 – Rejoicing in the LORD, while suffering

We have already looked at how the Psalm passionately expresses the pains that the writer is going through:

“My soul is in deep anguish. How long, LORD, how long?” (vs. 3)

But, the Psalm does this as a cry out to God. A cry, that whilst being honest about the suffering, is still deep down rejoicing in the LORD.

Rejoicing in the LORD, our Saviour  – vs. 1-4

In just four verses there are five cries to the LORD, which show a belief in God’s goodness and action:

1. Dares to ask for forgiveness (vs. 1)
2. Dares to ask for mercy or grace (vs. 2a)
3. Dares to ask for healing (vs. 2b)
4. Dare to ask for God to hurry up (vs. 3)
5. Dares to ask for God’s return (vs. 4)

These are cries of hope from the midst of pain, to the God, whose love is unfailing. This is what it means to rejoice in the LORD when times are tough.

True Christian spiritually neither ignores our problems and struggles nor simply despairs about them. Both ignoring our problems and despairing about them deny that God has the power and concern to deal with them – that’s not rejoicing in God. It’s a failure of faith. True Christian spirituality rejoices in the God, for whom nothing is impossible and who cares deeply for us. As it says in 1 Peter:

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Rejoicing in the LORD, our purpose – vs. 5

Even verse 5, which in a way says to God, “Don’t let me die! I’m no use to you dead!”

Why would he be no use to God dead? Because he wouldn’t be able to fulfil the key purpose of praising or rejoicing in God.

The Westminster Catechism, which was written as a statement of faith for Christians to learn in the Seventeenth Century begins:

“What is the chief end of man?

Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever.”

In other words, in reflecting on the ultimate purpose of life, these Seventeenth century Christians decided our ultimate purpose was to  ‘Rejoice in the LORD always!’? After all what is ‘rejoicing in the LORD’ but glorifying him and enjoying him?

Rejoicing in the LORD, our confidence – vs. 8-10

Finally, the Psalm finishes on a note of utter confidence, which again is another way of expressing a joy in the LORD.

The confidence is that the LORD has heard his cry for mercy or grace and that he will therefore act.

Twice he says, “The LORD has heard…” The Psalmist, may still be ill, he may still be suffering – after all the salvation, expressed as shame of his enemies, is in the future still.

This is like someone who has been run over, lying in agony in the street, who having called for an ambulance, knows that help is on its way. The pain and suffering are still there, but you know that you are going to get the treatment you need and so even in the suffering it is possible to rejoice.

In the same way, true Christian spirituality brings the reality of our situation to God, but trusts that God will, in time deal with it. In so doing, we rejoice in God’s salvation even before it has fully taken effect. We rejoice in all things.

Always look on the Bright Side of life?

This approach of Psalm 6 to the struggles of life is very different to an approach which seeks to focus only on the positives and ignores the struggles. It is good and helpful to see the positives that might come out of bad situations to acknowledge the silver linings, but we shouldn’t at the same time ignore the reality of our struggles. Even Paul when he looks on the upside of being in jail in Philippians acknowledges that it is nonetheless a sacrifice on his part.

The Monty Python film, Life of Brian, is a rather ridiculous comedy about someone who is mistaken for the Messiah at the time of Jesus. It is a very funny film and takes the mickey out of many aspects of politics, life and of course religion.

In the final scene, Brian and others are hanging on the cross, and the film ends with them all singing, Always look on the bright side of life.  Perhaps this is meant to take the mickey out of those, who, whether for religious or cultural reasons seek to ignore the real pain and suffering of life and the reality of death, ignoring the negatives and looking for the positives. They always look on the bright side of life, whilst denying the negative side. Singing such a song while on a cross is ridiculous – perhaps that’s the point the film is making. That is the danger of Tigger spirituality.

True Christian Spirituality, however, is better expressed by the reality of Jesus on the cross. As he hung there facing not just the brutal reality of crucifixion, but taking on the sins of the whole world, he cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is the first line of Psalm 22, which also expresses powerfully the reality of suffering, but nonetheless looks forward to God’s ultimate rescue and the praise that would result.

As Christians we know that God did not leave Jesus’ in the grave, but raised him from the dead. His resurrection carries a promise for our future resurrection. We may cry out to God now with the pain of our suffering,

“My soul is in deep anguish, how long, LORD, how long?”

But we do so already confident and rejoicing in the hope of resurrection. Peter puts it perfectly:

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,… In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” ( 1 Peter 1:3,6)

Christian Spirituality: Don’t be an Eeyore or a Tigger

The truth is that no-one is a total Eeyore or a total Tigger, but most of us have tendencies to be more one than another.

For those who are more naturally Tiggers, don’t let your Christian spirituality, be a constant focus on the positive and denial of the negative. Learn from the Psalmist. Be real with God. Express to him, the reality of your suffering and pain. Cry out to him for help. Don’t quickly move on to praise without taking time to acknowledge your struggles. If you don’t, your spirituality may become fake and  surface level, with God not let in to deal with the real issues. Let your spirituality be shaped by the cross.

For those who are more naturally Eeyore’s, don’t let your problems and struggles become your focus. Make the God, who is the forgiving, gracious, healer, who will come and help you, the focus of your thoughts. Bring your problems into his presence, rather than wallowing in self-pity. Be confident that he has heard your prayer, that he will come and help you. Let your spirituality be shaped by the resurrection.