Cry Aloud to the Lord

I just love reading the Psalms. You can tell real people with real anguish, real joy, real frustrations, real sin, real faith, real reverence wrote these. Many are attributed to David during the years he was fleeing Saul's wrath.

One of the things that struck me yesterday and today as I read Psalm 3 & 4 is the exclamation marks. David prayed with intensity. Arise, O Lord! Save me, O my God! Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!

David was like a drowning man screaming out for help. David says God, strike them; break their teeth. David also says he has joy in God and that he sleeps well because he is not afraid. But he always asks with strong language for God to intervene with strong action on his behalf.

Sometimes I think my prayers, and the prayers of many Christians, are too...what? Acquiescent? We often approach God as if we don't want to bother Him with our need. And we end by saying "Your will be done" when we probably should be more like David, crying aloud - HELP ME!!

I need a job! I need healing! My marriage is in trouble! My boss ridicules my faith! HELP ME!!

Reading the Psalms invigorates me. David was a man of action, worshiping a God of action. David EXPECTED God to be a God of action. I think my expectations of God are often too small and that's why I fail to cry aloud to the Lord and that may be why I don't see action when I need it.