Wednesday 18 September 2024

Psalm 69:1-18

Background
Today’s passage is given the heading 'A Psalm of Thanksgiving' and you may be reminded of verses from the psalms as you read it. For me, Psalm 130:1 came to mind: 'Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord' – the inspiration for Martin Luther’s hymn: 'Out of the depths I cry to thee' (Singing the Faith 433).

Jonah describes the depths from which he is crying to the Lord in three different ways. In verse one, he gives his location – from the belly of the fish. In verse two, he refers to his emotional state – out of my distress. In verse three, he mentions Sheol – the place of the dead, from where no-one was expected to return.

Jonah’s wish to get as far away from God as possible has been granted! And yet he reminds us of one of my favourite Scripture passages: "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 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." (Romans 8:38-39)

Jonah is not the only person who has prayed to God from the depths. His cry is echoed by people whose overcrowded boats capsize as they cross the Channel; people who have hit rock-bottom or feel they are drowning in a sea of despair; people who are in a place of exile from which they fear they will never escape.

And Jonah’s prayer is prophetic – in the sense that he talks about something which has yet to happen as if it has already taken place. He speaks in the past tense about something which is still in the future. He knows that he cannot lift himself out of the depths. Only God can raise the dead to new life.

To Ponder:

• How would you describe the place from which you are praying today. Where are you located? Where are you emotionally? Do you feel that God is close or distant?
• When have you cried to God “out of the depths”?
• Look at this Russian icon of Christ descending into hell and pulling out those who are trapped there. If you were to design your own version of this icon for today, who would these people be?

Prayer
Tell God three things about your current situation:
Dear God,
I am ……… [Where are you located?]
I am feeling ……. [How are you emotionally?]
I ……… [What is your cry?]
Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Nicola Vidamour
Nicola is the Director of Reflective Pastoral Supervision at Wesley House in Cambridge. She loves travel, tea, theatre and Taizé.