At the End

Listen to my words, Lord, consider my sighing.  Listen to the sound of my cry for help, my King and my God, for to You I pray.  Psalm 5:1-2 NASB

My cry for help – I’m feeling discouraged these days.  It just seems like the forces of evil in this world are so overpowering, so ubiquitous, that righteousness is in exile.  Everywhere I look, I see corruption, decay, destruction.  The world’s political scene is near breaking.  Forces far greater than any one of us can defeat rush toward civilization’s collapse.  I’m at the end.  I am afraid that we simply can’t recover from decades of societal deconstruction.  I’d like to believe the words of David in this psalm, but . . .  All I really know is the reality of šawʿâ.

šawʿâ—the Hebrew word for “cry for help.”  Shin-Vav-Ayin.  “the open mouth of destruction pinned to my eye.”  Victor Hamilton writes:

The intensity of the action conveyed by šāwaʿ is aptly illustrated by the fact that the verb occurs only in the Piel. It is used twenty-two times, most often in Ps (ten times) and Job (eight times). This leaves only four references in the rest of the ot: Isa 58:9; Lam 3:8; Jon 2:2 [H 3]; Hab 1:2. . . . It is used to describe the cry of anguish, the cry of the oppressed, the cry of those who are approaching the breaking point.^[1]

I’m reminded of some other verses—verses that offer hope in the midst of this anxiety.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”  Psalm 42:5 NIV

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”  Psalm 30:5 NIV

But I’m not sure they satisfy.  The heartache remains.  The evil is unrelenting.  The righteous are swept away.  My cry seems to fall on deaf divine ears.  David opens the verse with “Listen.”  qāšab in the Hif’il imperative.  “Hear me” with emphasis on paying close attention and responding!  It’s actually a verb of obedience.  In other words, “Don’t just listen.  Do something about this!”  “Listen” isn’t nearly strong enough.  I have lots of friends who will listen, but just like me, they can’t do anything to change what’s happening.  We need God to intervene.  If He doesn’t, we’re all at the end.

So, take heed, Lord.  Respond in actions.  Bring justice.  Protect Your own.  Show us Your hand that we might hope again.

Topical Index: qāšab, heed, listen, šāwaʿ, cry, heartache, end, Psalm 5:1-2

^[1] Hamilton, V. P. (1999). 2348 שָׁוַע. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament(electronic ed., p. 912). Moody Press.