Praying for Those who are Mourning (Psalm 119:28)

My soul melts away for sorrow. Strengthen me according to your word.                  – Psalm 119:28

What a picture of those moments in life where we feel like our soul is collapsing here in Psalm 119:28. I mean the whole picture here, our soul, my soul melts away for sorrow, just so overwhelmed with sadness. And the Psalmist looks up and says in the middle of this soul melting sorrow, strengthen me according to your word.

In a time where families cannot mourn loss as they normally would, Lord we ask that you provide them comfort in You.

And so I’m reading these prayer requests that people are sending in at radical.net/prayerrequest, specific ways we can pray for each other in this pandemic. Nicole writes, “My friend, Sarah, lost her father in an accident. Please pray for her and all those who are mourning and who are unsure how to go forward in grief without being able to physically come together with family and friends.”

Oh, just one of the many ways this crisis is increasing sorrow for, like I think back to when my dad died and just the grief, the soul melting sorrow in that. But how comforting it was to be able to gather with other family and friends and be together and to hug one another and care for another. So to be in a time where that is not possible makes that soul melting sorrow all the harder. So I want to lead us to pray for Sarah, for her whole family, and for others like her who are experiencing this kind of grief during these days.

Prayer For Those Experiencing Sorrow

God, we pray for Sarah and her family specifically. I don’t know any more the details beyond this accident that her father was in, but God, we pray that you would strengthen Sarah according to your word, according to your promises, according to your truth. God, that your word in an even greater way than normal, which I don’t even know exactly what that means, oh God, but I know that Sarah is not able to mourn and grieve and her family is not able to mourn and grieve in the same ways that we normally can, being with each other, hugging each other, caring for each other.

So God, I just pray, we pray together right now, all of us joined in this podcast, Lord, for an extra measure of grace from your word and your presence, your Spirit, for Sarah and for all of her family that they would know your love in even deeper ways. They would feel your arms even now in this moment, just wrapping around them. They would know that you love them and you are with them. That you care for them. That you would give them strength and sustenance and even joy, God. I know it sounds bold to pray, but joy according to your word. God, just a rock-solid confidence in you, your faithfulness, your goodness, your love, your mercy.

Psalm 119:28 Shows an Expression to God in a Time of Sorrow

God, strengthen them according to your word and what your word says about all these things. Please keep them. Keep them from believing the lies of the adversary that would pull them away from you during this time. God, we pray you would draw them closer to you. God, we pray Psalm 119:28. My soul melts away for sorrow. Strengthen me according to your word, exclamation point. We pray that you would do that for Sarah and her family and any and all people who are grieving like this in this unique time. God, please, please give an extra measure of strength according to your word, your grace.

Hope In Jesus

Jesus, we praise you in a fresh way. That you’re the resurrection and the life and who believes in you will never die. Even though he dies, he will live. So God, we pray that you would even give us urgency to make this gospel known all the more during this time with even greater urgency. That all who face grief might know a hope in you. Strength according to your word. We pray all this for Sarah, her family, others like them, in Jesus name. Amen.