Why Does the Psalmist Cry?

1. Consider Psalm 6:6-7 “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.”

1) The context is that the Psalmist is sick unto death.

2) Verses 2-5 tell us that he is…

a. Weak

b. Vexed in His bones.

c. Vexed in his soul.

d. Worried about death.

3) He is confident, however, that God hears his weeping (verse 8) and that he will not die.

4) Therefore, he rebukes his enemies who desire his death.

5) In this Psalm, the Psalmist cries because he is sick and has great hope for recovery.

2. Consider Psalm 88:1-2 “O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee: Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry;”

1) In this Psalm the Psalmist is extremely ill and near death (verse 3).

2) Verse 8 speaks to the degree of his illness; he has been quarantined.

3) Indeed he cries because of his affliction (verse 9).

4) He is so afflicted he is ready to die (verse 15).

5) Verse 18 says that even his near acquaintances and relatives have forsaken him.

6) In this Psalm, the Psalmist sees little hope for recovery; he is crying for his life.

3. Consider Psalm 30:5 “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

1) Psalm 30 is a Psalm of rejoicing in recovering from sickness.

2) In verse 2 the Psalmist says, “O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”

3) The Psalmist explains in verse 3 that he has been delivered from death.

4) Verse 4 tells us that he is thankful.

5) In verse 8 the Psalmist speaks of his crying to God.

6) Verse 9 speaks of the senselessness of his dying from illness.

7) Verse 10 acknowledges that God has changed his situation to gladness.

8) In this Psalm, the Psalmists cried during sickness, but rejoices in recovery.

4. God and sickness.

1) In these Psalms we’ve seen the Psalmist cry because of sickness.

2) We call upon God in time of sickness and rightly so.

3) God helps the sick and aids in their recovery.

4) James 5:14 “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:” – the Bible teaches prayer for the sick.

5) Epaphroditus was once sick. Philippians 2:27 “For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.”

6) Are we like the Psalmist to turn to God in sickness?

5. God hears the cries of the sick.

1. Psalm 18:6 says, “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.”

1) The comment on this Psalm is “A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD, who spake unto the LORD the words of this song in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul:”

2) The remainder of the Psalm expresses how God answered David’s cry to discomfit his enemies.

3) Here the Psalmist cries because wicked men are seeking to kill him.

2. Psalm 56:8-9 “Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.”

1) This Psalm was written when David was with the Philistines in Gath (1 Samuel 27)

2) Again, this was when Saul was pursing him.

3) In this Psalm David expresses his concern about men oppressing him and swallowing him up (verse 1-2).

4) David also puts his trust confidently in God. Verse 11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”

3. Psalm 142:1 “I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.”

1) The heading to this Psalm says that David was in a cave.

2) Here David feels as if no man cares for him (verse 4).

3) He prays deliverance from his persecutors (verse 6).

4) He cries out to God due to loneliness.

4. Psalm 126:5 “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

1) This was a Psalm of the Lord’s turning back captivity (verse 1).

2) The singers were happy.

3) They recognized that though they once cried due to persecution, that those tears brought forth joy.

5. God and persecution.

1) God knows and sees our persecutions.

2) We’re reminded of Luke 12:6-7 “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

3) Are we like the Psalmist to turn to God in persecution?

6. God hears the cry of the persecuted.

1. Psalm 39:12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were.”

1) In verse 1 the Psalmist expresses desire not to sin with his tongue.

2) However, he ends up doing so before his enemies (Verse 3).

3) He prays for deliverance from this transgressions (verse 8).

4) The Psalmist cries to have his sins forgiven.

2. Psalm 130:1-2 “Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O LORD. Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.”

1) The Psalmist recognizes that he has iniquity (verse 3).

2) He also understands that with God is forgiveness (verse 4).

3) For this reason he has great hope in the Lord (verses 5-8).

4) The Psalmist cries for forgiveness.

3. God and forgiveness.

1) We’re reminded of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 “For though I made you sorry with my epistle, I do not regret it: though I did regret it (for I see that that epistle made you sorry, though but for a season), I now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye were made sorry unto repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly sort, that ye might suffer loss by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation, a repentance which bringeth no regret: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

2) Godly sorrow will weep for sin and desire forgiveness.

3) Are we like the Psalmist in weeping for our sins and for forgiveness?

4. God hears the cry of those in sin and forgives.

1. Psalm 42:3 “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?”

1) In this Psalm, the Psalmist expresses a deep desire to worship God.

2) Verse 1 is familiar to us. “As the deer pants for the water…”

3) The Psalmists longs to appear before God (verse 2).

4) In verse 4 the Psalmist recalls worshipping before God.

5) In verse 5 he expresses his hope that he shall do so again.

2. Psalm 119:145-148 “I have called with my whole heart; Answer me, O Jehovah: I will keep thy statutes. I have called unto thee; Save me, And I shall observe thy testimonies. I anticipated the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy words. Mine eyes anticipated the night-watches, That I might meditate on thy word. “

1) Here the Psalmist so longs to hear God’s word that he weeps.

2) He longs to observe God’s law in his life.

3. Psalm 5:1-2 “Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation. Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.”

1) In this psalm, the Psalmist cries for God to hear his prayer.

2) He expresses how in God’s fear he will worship (verse 7).

4. Psalm 84:2 “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.”

1) In verse 1 the Psalmist talks about the friendliness of God’s place of worship.

2) He blesses those who dwell in God’s house (verse 4).

5. God and worship.

1) God desires us to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24).

2) Do we long to worship Him?

3) Are we like the Psalmist who cries to worship God?

6. God hears the cry of those who long to worship Him.