Today, we’re in Psalm 102, a 28-verse psalm that we’ll look at together over several podcasts. We’ll start with just the first two verses of this psalm, so let's read together:

1 Hear my prayer, O Lord; 

let my cry come to you! 

2 Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress! 

Incline your ear to me; 

answer me speedily in the day when I call! 

Although you’ve only heard the first two verses of this psalm, it’s clearly a psalm of lament — literally meaning a cry, a weeping, a dirge, a howling, a wailing expression of grief. In fact, the title of this psalm is, “Do Not Hide Your Face from Me: A Prayer of one afflicted, when he is faint and pours out his complaint before the Lord.”

Holly shares a personal story that happened to her very recently where she felt similar to the psalmist. She knew she heard the voice of the Lord, but she was struggling with obedience. She was fearful that if she obeyed, it would cost more than was feasible from a human perspective.

As we read Psalm 102, we know this is how this psalmist felt — so desperate, so frail, and so afflicted that He needed to know that Yahweh not only heard him, but that He would come to his aide. 

For Holly, the obedience was still hard but, in the end, she knew God was there. She knew that the Good Shepherd was listening. 

Whether you’re a shepherd pastor, a shepherd parent, a shepherd friend, a shepherd CEO, a Board member, or business owner, He hears you and we want to encourage you today to reach out to Him. If you feel like He’s hiding His face from you, don’t give up. He has not abandoned you. He has not forsaken you. He has not forgotten you. He is the Good, Great, and Chief Shepherd that knows your voice, loves you deeply, and wants His best for you. 

Thank you for joining us today, and may you live deeply into your calling this week.