Featured Article: “God is Aware of Every Tear You Cry” Josh Powell
https://www.weaponsofgrace.com/content/god-is-aware-of-every-tear-you-cry
“It can often feel that in the darkest of our nights God is nowhere to be found. When the storm destroys. When our spouse leaves us. When all we know is loneliness. Does God see our tears?”
Scripture from Berean Standard Bible, images created using Canva Pro and Night Cafe Studio.
Main Passage: Psalm 56:8-11
8You have taken account of my wanderings. [sorrows]
Put my tears in Your bottle—
9Then my enemies will retreat
on the day I cry for help.
By this I will know that God is on my side.
10In God, whose word I praise,
in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11in God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
A man who follows and trusts in Christ kneels in prayer knowing that his Heavenly Father hears and will respond in due season.
Commentary: Josh Powell (JP)
Emphasis mine.
Psalm 56 teaches us that God does not simply dismiss our pain. He doesn’t acknowledge it and then move on. No, he records them. He keeps record. Personal. Intimate. Caring. This is who our God is.
J.P
God sees and knows our pain!
I believe God put Psalm 56 in the Bible for people who feel forgotten in their pain. This Psalm says that every tear David has cried, God has placed in a bottle.
It’s this intimate imagery that God is near in our hurt. The God of the universe, hearing millions of prayers at any given time, is aware of every tear that leaves your eyes. J.P.
Reading Josh’s article has encouraged me this past week as I’ve faced challenges and seek to discern God’s pathway for me! Understanding that God knows my difficulties and that I can trust in Him helps me to remain focused on Christ and His great promises!
A.I rendition of younger David seeking God in prayer.
Hebrew Terms
The beauty of Strong’s reference system for Bible students: A.I overview with purpose and benefit explained (source article)
Strong’s reference system is a numbering system introduced by James Strong in his Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible that assigns a unique number to each fundamental Hebrew and Greek word in the Bible, allowing English-speaking readers to easily access and study the original biblical languages without needing to know Hebrew or Greek.
Each number in the system corresponds to a specific root word in the original language and is linked to its definition in the Hebrew and Greek dictionaries found in the back of the concordance.
Source: https://biblehub.com/q/what_is_strong%27s_concordance.htm
David uses the Hebrew word translated nod Strong’s 5112 which comes from the Hebrew root nud Strong’s 5110. Simply explained, nod translated to wandering(s), or sorrows. You can explore these terms using the links provided below:
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5112.htm
https://biblehub.com/hebrew/5110.htm
David remembers how he is in a season of difficulty in Psalm 56. He has fled to Gath and been brought before the Philistine king. Consider that David has fought against the Philistines as a Hebrew warrior. King Saul’s determined pursuit has forced him to go into enemy territory and feign being crazy. Context of this Psalm is 1 Samuel 21:10-14.
https://www.biblehub.com/bsb/1_samuel/21.htm
Excellent Video Resource
David has become a refugee fleeing for his life. The pursuit and weariness of the situation has reduced him to being a wanderer. Take a moment to consider the situation. God sent Samuel to anoint David as king to replace Saul (1 Samuel 16). David faithfully serves Saul and Saul turns violently against David. David has God’s presence as seen in 1 Samuel 16:13
13So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. Then Samuel set out and went to Ramah.
King Saul even in his state of rebellion recognizes God’s plan: 1 Samuel 24:
David’s Oath to Saul
16When David had finished saying these things, Saul called back, “Is that your voice, David my son?”
Then Saul wept aloud 17and said to David, “You are more righteous than I, for you have rewarded me with good, though I have rewarded you with evil. 18And you have declared this day how you have treated me well, for when the LORD delivered me into your hand, you did not kill me. 19When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day.
20Now I know for sure that you will be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21So now, swear to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s house.”
22So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
King Saul comes against David again and once more David spares him. 1 Samuel 26:21-25
https://www.biblehub.com/bsb/1_samuel/26.htm
Saul Acknowledges His Sin
21Then Saul replied, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. I will never harm you again, because today you considered my life precious. I have played the fool and have committed a grave error!”
22“Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of the young men come over and get it. 23May the LORD repay every man for his righteousness and faithfulness. For the LORD delivered you into my hand today, but I would not extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. 24As surely as I valued your life today, so may the LORD value my life and rescue me from all trouble.”
25Saul said to him, “May you be blessed, David my son. You will accomplish great things and will surely prevail.”
So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.
The Point
King Saul continues to pursue David even after acknowledging his sin and God’s plan for David. This is tragic for Saul and David. David makes the decision to flee to Philistine territory for a second time in 1 Samuel 27.
For New Testament perspective, let’s examine Hebrews 4:12-16
Prospective from Hebrews 4
The Living Word
(2 Timothy 3:10–17)
12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Consider this:
Jesus, God the Father, Holy Spirit know our difficulties. The author of Hebrews reminds us that God the Righteous Judge sees all and Jesus our High Priest understands our weaknesses. How are we to respond? We are to approach His Throne of Grace with confidence to receive mercy and grace to assist us. We come before our Heavenly Father and Merciful Savior through relationship.
His grace and mercy enable us to persevere in holding to our faith! It’s His grace and mercy that hold us: not our strength or ability!
Summary:
Now that He has made it possible for us to come to God, we come to Him by faith—for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Because of what Jesus has done for us, we can come boldly and with confidence to the throne of grace—it is no longer a throne of judgment for us; rather, it is where we have received forgiveness in mercy and righteousness in grace.
Jesus, our High Priest, intercedes on our behalf even today (Romans 8:34). Not only can we come boldly to the throne of grace for forgiveness and salvation (Hebrews 4:16), but we can also come to that same throne in prayer knowing that we are no longer enemies of God but beloved children who can call Him “Abba, Father” (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15).
https://www.gotquestions.org/come-boldly-throne-grace.html
Favorite Quote from Josh’s Article
In God, we do not have a King so lofty and above our difficulties that He sweeps away our tears with disdain. No, we have a King who has descended into the pain with us. You do not cry alone.
Jesus understands where you are, more than you realize.
Josh provides a great, encouraging perspective for us when we are struggling! He doesn’t minimize our difficulties, but reminds us to turn our eyes to Christ in moments of need.
Trust in God’s Promises!
For now, we have his promises to comfort us. They help us trust in the Lord when it is difficult to see the reasonings and the whys. But soon, we will hear with our own ears and feel on our own faces, the gentle hands of God, wiping away our tears (Revelation 21:3-5)
Until that day, do not forget that He is aware. He is putting things in motion to show His care for you. And all of this is for sinners, whom He loves.
Words of Grace & Hope 