Psalm 44 - Given over to death
(Written on March 6, 2023)
God, what a week it has been. I arrived at my parent's house one week ago because my mom's health was weakening. We started getting word that she maybe had a few weeks. Those few weeks turned into only a few days.
God, as I grieve, this psalm hits all too close to home. When I arrived Monday evening, my mom was literally "being given over to death all day long" and "was covered with the shadow of death" (v. 19). Her breathing was labored. She wasn't eating. And she was frail.
God, the last hour was brutal. Trying to get her ready for bed that evening, any strength that she had kept giving out. My dad and I struggled as she fell to the floor multiple times. Life was leaving her, and her body was literally "clinging to the ground," and her "soul was bowed down to the dust" (v. 25). Her breaths slowed, and then the struggling stilled. I sat on the floor, holding her on my lap as I faced the painful reality that death had won.
God, this psalm voices the painful reality of living in a broken world where the injustice of death clings far too close to all of us. And, God, your children are not exempt. Even Paul would make this point in Romans 8:36, where he quotes v. 22, "As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'"
But God, death is not the end of the story. The very last verse of this psalm pleads for help and hope - "Rise up, come to our help; redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love."
God, you did just that. You sent your Son to come to be our help. You rose Him up, securing your everlasting, never-ending, and never-forsaking love for us. And because of that, Paul then declares:
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God, last week it felt like death won. The pain of the last moment of struggle will forever be seared in my mind. But, more than that, your conquering love that is stronger than death is my hope. And while we may face literal death all day long, or if we face the reality of daily living among death in a broken world, we can be confident that the presence of death does not mean the absence of your love. Rather, you have promised your love through death, even securing that promise because you also were given over to death.
Thank you, Jesus.
Amen
God, as I grieve, this psalm hits all too close to home. When I arrived Monday evening, my mom was literally "being given over to death all day long" and "was covered with the shadow of death" (v. 19). Her breathing was labored. She wasn't eating. And she was frail.
God, the last hour was brutal. Trying to get her ready for bed that evening, any strength that she had kept giving out. My dad and I struggled as she fell to the floor multiple times. Life was leaving her, and her body was literally "clinging to the ground," and her "soul was bowed down to the dust" (v. 25). Her breaths slowed, and then the struggling stilled. I sat on the floor, holding her on my lap as I faced the painful reality that death had won.
God, this psalm voices the painful reality of living in a broken world where the injustice of death clings far too close to all of us. And, God, your children are not exempt. Even Paul would make this point in Romans 8:36, where he quotes v. 22, "As it is written, 'For your sake we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.'"
But God, death is not the end of the story. The very last verse of this psalm pleads for help and hope - "Rise up, come to our help; redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love."
God, you did just that. You sent your Son to come to be our help. You rose Him up, securing your everlasting, never-ending, and never-forsaking love for us. And because of that, Paul then declares:
"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. [38] For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, [39] nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."
God, last week it felt like death won. The pain of the last moment of struggle will forever be seared in my mind. But, more than that, your conquering love that is stronger than death is my hope. And while we may face literal death all day long, or if we face the reality of daily living among death in a broken world, we can be confident that the presence of death does not mean the absence of your love. Rather, you have promised your love through death, even securing that promise because you also were given over to death.
Thank you, Jesus.
Amen
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