Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer. —Psalm 4:1 NIV

If you’ve ever had a lot on your mind as you’re trying to go to sleep, then you’ll probably especially resonate with this psalm. This psalm, written by David, expresses his heart to the Lord at night. We learn in verse 8 that David’s getting ready to sleep, and he’s got a lot on his mind.

 A few years ago, I was reading a book in which the author pointed out an interesting feature in the way we as humans communicate. He noted that when people communicate about topics with which they feel uncomfortable, they’ll often substitute alternate ways of speaking. They’ll use euphemisms (literally “good words”) when they’re speaking about things considered difficult. For example, there are lots of expressions that people use when talking about death, or drunkenness, or getting sick. And there are also plenty of ways we tend to talk about our own inadequacies.

Perhaps even in the last few months, you’ve heard or said phrases like, “I’m at the end of my rope; I’m feeling trapped; I’ve hit the wall; I’m at my wit’s end; I’m out of my depth; I’m in over my head.” And you could probably provide a few more.

None of us likes to face the reality that sometimes, we are not up to the challenges of life. The mountain is too steep, the task too huge, the opposition too daunting.

 And this is where our verse for today really helps us. David is honest, painfully honest. He asks the Lord for his help. Why? Because he is in distress, and he’s asking for relief. He’s found himself trapped, and he doesn’t know how to get out. If you listen to the podcasts that follow this one, you’ll learn more about what’s making him feel trapped, but in brief, it’s his situation that he can’t change, and it’s people that he can’t rely upon. It’s like he’s in a locked room. Trying to find a way out of an escape room might be fun as a game, but in real life, it’ll keep you up at night.

So what does David do? He prays. He asks the Lord to show him the way out—to help him find a path forward, a way of escape.

 But unlike the people around him who are unreliable, the Lord, the one David is asking to help him, is “my righteous God.” That is, he’s always right, and faithful, and dependable. The only thing in the world that David can rely upon is the one he calls upon.

How about you? Are you feeling your limitations? No way out? No one to talk to? Whatever inadequacy you might be feeling—whatever scenario may have you at the end of your rope—will you follow David’s example? Don’t slip into cynicism. The Lord will hear your prayer. But be honest with God; don’t shy away from saying what’s really on your heart. In the psalms (and to the Lord), blunt words are good words.

So let’s go back to our passage in Psalm 4:1. One translation says it this way:  “Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer” (NIV).

This devotional was originally part of a reflection series on the Psalms for the Listening Up podcast, a ministry of Ogletown Baptist Church in Newark, Deleware. Listen at the link below.