The Mask

A series on the Psalms - the voice of emotions
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
When you’re feeling lonely.
Psalm 25 

[Life is filled with emotions… anger and love; fear and courage; anxiety and peace. The Book of Psalms is also filled with emotions. They help us to validate our feelings and understand ourselves better; to grow in our faith and our relationship with Jesus; to understand the character of our Lord and how He works in our life.]

  

During COVID, everybody wore a mask! They were one of the many things that people adapted to during the pandemic, but never liked.

 

In addition to wearing a mask, you kept six feet apart in public; you couldn’t visit family or friends; you couldn’t enjoy the camaraderie of your coworkers; you couldn’t visit your grandparents in a nursing home. The result was loneliness. But when life returned to normal… people were still lonely.

 

David, who wrote Psalm 25, knew what it felt like to be lonely. Even though Samuel had anointed him the king of Israel, he ran for his life from King Saul. He spent years living in the wilderness and hiding in caves. At one point, he even pretended to be insane in order to escape his enemies.

 

Not only was he lonely then, but when he finally did take his rightful position as king, he quickly fell into sin. Because he didn’t go to war with his troops, he was alone and watched Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop. Loneliness took a toll not only on David, but also on his family, as well as the kingdom of Israel.

 

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ Relieve the troubles of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.
¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my distress
    and take away all my sins.       NIV

 

Despite his intense feelings, David put his hope and trust in the Lord.

  

¹ O Lord, I give my life to you.
^2b I trust in you, my God!      NLT

⁴ Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
⁵ Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you.      NLT

During COVID, a mask was a sign of the times. It could both protect you and those near you. But a mask can also harm you by leading to loneliness. However, even during your difficult times, the Lord is at work.

 

⁸ The Lord is good and does what is right;
    he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
⁹ He leads the humble in doing right,
    teaching them his way.
¹⁰ The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
    all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.              NLT

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

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