When the Heart Cries Out for God: A Look Into Psalmsنموونە

Day 1: The Long View

I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. (Psalm 27:13 NLT)

In a psalm full of memorable, life-anchoring verses, one theme stands out: seeing the big picture rather than immediate circumstances. Though enemies and armies are ready to devour the righteous (Psalm 27:2-3, 11-12), why fear? Though rejection and betrayal are part of life (27:9-10), why be insecure? Though people whose hearts hunger to bask in God’s presence (27:4-5) have not seen the beauty of his Temple—David’s experience in particular—why lament? God promises deliverance, draws near to the oppressed and rejected, and establishes his presence with his people wherever they are.

Whatever the situations before us say, they are never the final word. He is.

That’s why David was confident he would see God’s goodness in the land of the living—this side of eternity. Yes, he had experienced threats, betrayal, and slander, as this psalm suggests. But he had also received God’s promises, including one for a Temple to be built by his son.

David’s deep longing in verse 4—to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze at his beauty—would remain unsatisfied, to a point. Though he could worship in the Tabernacle and still, as an act of faith, prepare for the Temple until the day he died, he would never set foot in the Temple on earth. Yet in spite of all his adversity, he knew life was more than a series of setbacks. He could “wait patiently for the Lord” (27:14) and know the wait would be worth it.

Re-Envision God’s Blessings

Some people see life as arduous and heaven as their only relief, as if all of God’s promises are for a life beyond our present experience. But God provides seasons of refreshment and restoration in the here-and-now, not just in the there-and-then. Or, as another psalm says, he satisfies our years with good things (Psalm 103:5).

The problem is that we often give up on this vision of faith after a few days or weeks of suffering. Sometimes we even judge God by how quickly or clearly he responds. Meanwhile, Scripture emphatically gives us the long view.

Refuse to make judgments in the middle of the story. Trust instead that the end of it will be good. That will take patience and courage, as well as a clear vision of God’s kindness and generosity. But if you cling to God’s promises with firm resolve, just as David did in the midst of his adversity, you can live with David’s confidence: You will see God’s goodness in the land of the living.