He Hears You

In my distress I called to Yahweh, And He answered me. Psalm 120:1

I remember hearing a story about a young boy who got lost in a crowded fairground. Surrounded by noise and strangers, fear filled his heart. He began to cry out for his father. The crowd was loud, but the father’s ears were tuned to that familiar voice. Within moments, the father came running, calling back, “I hear you! I’m right here!” That child’s cry touched his father’s heart, and his father’s voice brought comfort to his heart.

Similarly, if you are a child of God, born again, with Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, God the Father is always ready to answer you in times of distress. The author of Psalm 120 is not named, but biblical scholars attribute the psalm to King David. Psalm 120 expresses the cry of someone surrounded by deceitful, hostile people. In verse 2, he writes, “O Yahweh, deliver my soul from a lying lip, from a deceitful tongue.” The psalmist is living far from peace, among people who hate truth and love conflict. He feels trapped among liars and warmongers, longing for the peace that only comes from God.

King David knew what it was like to feel lost and surrounded by trouble. “In my distress,” he says, “I called to Yahweh.” David didn’t hide his fear, frustration, or pain from God. He cried out. And what did God do? “He heard me.” God doesn’t turn a deaf ear to the cries of His children. Our distress does not push Him away; it draws Him near. When life feels like you can’t catch a break, and you can’t see the way forward, your Father still hears the sound of your voice. You are His child, and He will never leave you nor forsake you.

God sees you in your distress and will answer you; however, that answer may not be what you want to hear. We pray for healing, and while God may choose not to heal, He does give you the grace to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It’s important to remember that David’s confidence wasn’t in his ability to fix his problem—it was in the faithfulness of a God who hears and responds.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark