Most of us don’t like distress, don’t like being in pain and would do virtually anything to avoid misery, suffering and anguish. We don’t even like talking about such things, preferring sermons which paint a radiant picture of love, joy and peace so that we do not even for a moment have to contemplate difficult subjects like God’s wrath, the connection between suffering and sin, and our personal responsibility for sin. This is either because we are relentlessly optimistic in our view of Christianity and believe that any mention of distress and anguish is somehow demeaning to the salvation Jesus procured for us or because we would rather pretend the nasty things in life don’t exist, as if by this collective agreement we can actually eradicate sin from the world by an exercise in mind control.
The penitential psalms are not afraid to talk about distress, however. Ps 38 talks about both physical and emotional distress (Ps 38:3, 6-8). Poetic imagery used in the Psalms talks of searing pain like being attacked by arrows (Ps 38:2, see also Deut 32:23, Job 6:4), burning bones (Ps 102:3), overwhelming sorrow (Ps 102:9, Ps 6:6) and deep guilt (Ps 32:5, Ps 38:18). Sin is faced up to, acknowledged and confessed (Ps 32:1-5, Ps 51:3-4, Ps 38:18); David accepts responsibility for having sinned against God and acknowledges God’s view of sin as correct (Ps 51:4). God’s mercy, kindness, love and compassion are fully known, but at the same time, the justice of God’s anger and wisdom of His judgment are also acknowledged. (Ps 51:1-4, Ps 102:13)
Those who feel distress have that distress compounded by a lack of understanding and compassion from others; our sorrow is heightened by a sense of isolation and alienation. David too knew all about that (Ps 38:11-12), feeling like a bird alone on a roof (Ps 102:7), aware that others were slandering him (Ps 38:18-19) and that silence was perhaps his only defence. (Ps 38:13-14) Position and reputation, wealth and fame are no guardians against distress.
Holy distress is not all bad news, however. Paul says that ‘godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.’ (2 Cor 7:10) Certainly, as we read the penitential psalms, we find our own groanings, longings, sighings and distress articulated before us, but we also find joy and thanksgiving welling up as the psalmist receives forgiveness and an assurance of God’s presence and help. The Lord will rebuild Zion and appear in His glory (Ps 102:16); His name will be declared in Zion and His praise in Jerusalem; a generation yet to come will sing His praises! (Ps 102:18, 21-22) Repentance that leads to salvation is no bad thing; we are truly blessed when we experience the depth of God’s love for us and the joy of restored relationships. (Ps 51:12) If you’re in a place of distress right now, let that distress drive you towards God, for only He can satisfy our souls.