Psalms 25:17-22: a reflection

17The troubles of my heart are enlarged. Oh bring me out of my distresses. 18Consider my affliction and my travail. Forgive all my sins. 19Consider my enemies, for they are many. They hate me with cruel hatred. 20Oh keep my soul, and deliver me. Let me not be disappointed, for I take refuge in you. 21Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. 22God, redeem Israel out of all his troubles.

In this prayer of distress, the psalmist brings to God two things together, his troubles and his sins, in the same breath. The troubles of my heart are enlarged, he prays; oh bring me out of my distresses. And then, without a pause: Consider my affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins. He does not separate his outward troubles from his inner guilt; he brings both to God together, asking God to consider his affliction and to forgive his sins in the same prayer. His whole self, distress and guilt alike, is brought to God. He does not hide his sin while bringing his trouble, nor his trouble while confessing his sin; both are laid before God together.

Notice that the psalmist brings both his troubles and his sins to God together. His prayer does not deal only with his outward distress, nor only with his inner guilt; it brings both, asking God to relieve his affliction and to forgive his sins in the same breath. He does not compartmentalize, keeping his troubles and his sins apart; he brings his whole self, distress and guilt together, to God. Both are real; both are laid before God. He asks God to consider his affliction and to forgive his sins, bringing the whole of himself, outward trouble and inner guilt, to the God who cares about both. The psalmist's prayer is honest and whole, hiding neither his trouble nor his sin, but bringing both to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for we can bring both our troubles and our sins to God together, our whole selves. We can compartmentalize our prayers, bringing our outward troubles to God while hiding our sins, or confessing our sins while not bringing our troubles; but the psalmist brought both together, asking God to consider his affliction and forgive his sins in the same breath. We can bring our whole selves, distress and guilt alike, to God, who cares about both. Do not compartmentalize your prayers, hiding your sins while bringing your troubles, or the reverse; bring both to God together, as the psalmist did. Bring both your troubles and your sins to God together, your whole self, asking him to consider your affliction and forgive your sins, as the psalmist prayed, consider my affliction, and forgive all my sins; for God cares about both our outward troubles and our inner guilt, and we can bring the whole of ourselves, distress and sin alike, to him rather than hiding either.

Lord, in this prayer of distress, the psalmist brings to you two things together, his troubles and his sins, in the same breath. The troubles of my heart are enlarged, he prays; oh bring me out of my distresses. And then, without a pause: consider my affliction and my travail, and forgive all my sins. He does not separate his outward troubles from his inner guilt; he brings both to you together. His whole self, distress and guilt alike, is brought to you. Show me that the psalmist brings both his troubles and his sins to you together. His prayer does not deal only with his outward distress, nor only with his inner guilt; it brings both, asking you to relieve his affliction and to forgive his sins in the same breath. He does not compartmentalize, keeping his troubles and his sins apart; he brings his whole self, distress and guilt together, to you. Both are real; both are laid before you. He asks you to consider his affliction and to forgive his sins, bringing the whole of himself to you who care about both. Take that to my heart, for I can bring both my troubles and my sins to you together, my whole self. I can compartmentalize my prayers, bringing my outward troubles to you while hiding my sins, or confessing my sins while not bringing my troubles; but the psalmist brought both together. I can bring my whole self, distress and guilt alike, to you, who care about both. Keep me from compartmentalizing my prayers, hiding my sins while bringing my troubles, or the reverse; help me bring both to you together, Lord, as the psalmist prayed, consider my affliction, and forgive all my sins.