“I wait for the Lord. My soul waits. And in his word, I hope. My soul waits for the Lord, more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.”
– Psalm 130:5–6
And I read this verse, Psalm 130:5–6 because I’m guessing there are some, likely many people, who are listening right now who find themselves in a season of waiting, in a time of waiting, where you are longing for something, you are needing something, you’re calling out to God for something, and he is hearing you and he is answering you, but the answer involves waiting, and he is not fulfilling that desire right now in the way you long for. He is not providing in this way right now in the way you long for. And I just want to pray this psalm over you. And specifically, let me just jump in. Psalm 130, verse five.
Lord as we wait for the day when you call us home, help us to trust in You. May we rest confidently knowing a day is coming when you wipe away every tear from our eyes.
God, I pray for those who are waiting right now, and for anytime we find ourselves waiting, but specifically those are awaiting or longing for something for you to move in this way or that way or desiring this or that, and you and your wisdom and your love are not answering in the way that they would like, they would prefer, that seems would make the most sense.
So God, amidst the waiting, I pray Psalm 130:5–6. In his word, I hope.
God, I pray that they would hope in your word. God, as they wait, they would wait standing on your word, trusting in your promises that you are with them, that you will never leave them or forsake them, that you will grant them everything they need in the middle of the waiting, that you are working in their waiting. You are not sitting back idly. Your word tells us you are working in our waiting. You are leading, guiding, orchestrating details even in our waiting. You are working all things together for the good of those who love you and have been called according to your purpose.
I think about those words in Romans 8 coming on the heels of just the reality of suffering in this world and longing for our redemption. We do. We long for our redemption. So in this sense, we all find ourselves waiting right now for an end to sin and suffering in this world.
So grant grace to us in our waiting. Grant strength. Grant peace. Grant hope from your word to those who are waiting. And ultimately, we wait for the day when he will split open the sky and we will see your face and you will wipe every tear from our eyes. We wait for that day. And we pray that you would hasten its coming and we pray that you would help us from this day until that to trust you and hope in you, in our waiting and to hope in you in the middle of our waiting. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a Lead Pastor for McLean Bible Church. He is also the Founder of Radical, an organization that makes Jesus known among the nations.
David received his B.A. from the University of Georgia and M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his published works include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Don’t Hold Back, and How to Read the Bible.
He lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area with his wife and children.
