Rector’s Reflections
Monday 18th March 2024
Psalm 62: A Psalm of Comfort for Times of Stress
I wonder whether you have ever had a real heart to heart with God? Have you ever told God that you are really angry with him?
Perhaps we feel that we ought always to keep our conversation with God within the bounds of politeness. After all, God is God, so it is natural for us to wish to show Him some respect. And perhaps it’s a matter of cultural assumptions, too – we may have grown up a world where everyone is expected to be studiously polite all the time, at least in public, politeness and good manners are important, but there are times when it is good for us to get things off our chest. Indeed, it is more than good- it is absolutely necessary for our own well-being, and for the long term health of our relationships with others. This applies to our relationships with our fellow human beings, and it also applies to our relationship with God. Sometimes we need to tell God how we’re really feeling and what we’re really thinking - and if we find ourselves using some choice vocabulary to do so, I don’t think God has a problem with that.
I think the author of psalm 62 would probably have agreed with this. Verse 8 of the psalm reads as follows:
“Trust in [God] at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us”.
God is indeed a refuge for us, which includes a refuge from the need to keep up appearances, to pretend that everything is fine in our lives, and that we have everything sorted. God is also a refuge from the need to pretend that we don’t any questions about Christian teaching or how it applies to our everyday lives. We can be honest with God about any religious doubts or uncertainties we may have.
And when we are angry with God, there is no need for us to hide our anger – we can tell God to His face just how angry we are. God doesn’t mind. God loves us, even when we’re shouting at Him. In fact, I think He much prefers our anger to our indifference- anger is often related to love, and our anger is often an indication that we care deeply about something or someone.
So the psalmist advises us to “pour out [our] heart before God”. I wonder: when was the last time we allowed ourselves to have a real heart to heart with God? And when was the last time we allowed God to have a real heart to heart with us?