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Psalm 88:1-9a  
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

LORD, you are the God who saves me; day and night I cry out to you. May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry. I am overwhelmed with troubles and my life draws near to death. I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like one without strength. I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care. You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths. Your wrath lies heavily on me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape; my eyes are dim with grief.

I wish life could be one big party. One great celebration. Rich fellowship. Continuous laughter. Good health. Long life. Conflict-free. Prosperity. Days filled with wave after wave of blessing. But…the reality is…sometimes there are cries in the night.

Twice in today’s passage the psalmist says that he is overwhelmed. He is buckling under the weight of his troubles. His strength is gone. He is in the “lowest pit,” the “darkest depths.” He feels “confined and cannot escape.” His eyes are swollen from the tears. Ever been there? 

Challenges are unavoidable as we make our way through this life. Some are as annoying as a dead battery in your car. Some are as awful as an illness stripping the strength from your body. Some leave us overwhelmed, crying out in the night. When we cry out God is there. He listens. He hears. He acts. Sometimes He takes away the challenges. Sometimes He works on our overwhelmed souls and replaces the storms with His peace. 

Thank You, Father, for hearing my cries in the night. Thank You for reaching down and calming my overwhelmed heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.