Heart for Israel

The title of this article is taken from a great hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” written by Helen Lemmel in 1922. She was the daughter of a Methodist Pastor, and she was an accomplished musician. A few years after marriage, she tragically went blind. Her husband ended up leaving her due to her illness. But in spite of this cruel and unloving treatment, Helen went on to become a famous hymn writer and instructor of music at Moody Bible Institute.

No one could have planned it to turn out the way it did for Helen. Was this hurtful to her? I am sure that between losing her eyesight and then having her husband abandon her, it was extremely hurtful. She would write, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace”. How odd for a blind woman to write to turn your eyes upon Jesus. She was physically blind, but spiritually she could see God. She had eyes of faith to see the person of God and all that He was doing in her life! Moses feared not the wrath of the King of Egypt because “he endured, as seeing Him who was invisible” (Heb. 11:27). How do you see Him who was invisible? By faith!

Have you gone through a painful divorce? Your spouse committed adultery or is a porn addict or you came out of an abusive home as a child, or maybe as a parent you had a child rebel? Read Psalm 61-62 to learn that God knows and listens to you, and He is there for you.

In Psalm 61:1, the psalmist prays and cries out to God in pain, “Hear O God; Attend to my prayer”. To “hear” is the common Hebrew term “sha’ma” to listen or to hear. To “attend” is the Hebrew word “qashab” which means to pay attention or hearken. Both are verbs that are imperatives/commands. In pain and trauma, he cries to the King of the universe, who understands and knows all things. Who else can you turn to in such difficult circumstances?

In v2, from the ends of the earth, will he cry to God when? He tells us, “When my heart is overwhelmed.” The heart is the center of all that man is…it is the inner person. The term “overwhelmed” means to become feeble, weak, or crushed due to circumstances. This is what happens to your inner person when your child rebels or your spouse commits adultery. The psalmist will turn to the rock that is higher than himself.

The analogy changes to a castle or a fortress. God is a strong tower or a castle that cannot be penetrated. I may be wounded and hurt by what others do, but he calls God a shelter of protection from the enemies of our souls or our inner person. The inner person has been hurt, so we need healing and protection.

In v4, he tells us to go to and abide in the tent/tabernacle or the presence of God forever. One must dwell in the tent of God by faith and trusting in Him. This is further explained by the next phrase in v4, where he says that he will trust in the covering of the wings of God. The KJV uses the term “covert of thy wings”, indicating or picturing a mother bird that hovers over her young to bring shelter and protection to her baby birds. This is what God will do as we trust in Him! There is no other way for inner pain to be healed but through God’s comfort. You must engage with God by faith. Blaming people, getting angry, and taking medication simply do not solve the pain or the problem. The problem may not get solved, but only God can heal the pain.

Psalm 62:1 He waits silently before God because it is in solitude and in the quietness of your heart you will communicate with God. The Hebrew term means to wait silently in expectation or confidence. The idea is that the person is trusting, with confidence, that God will work and bring Divine aid. The true and living God is the “only rock” of my deliverance, and if attacked by man (v3a), he is the one who will fight for me (v3b).

In v7 He is my glory, my strength, my refuge, yes, my salvation. How often shall I turn to him and trust Him? V8 says “at all times”! And the great counsel from David, the great King of Israel, is for you to pour out your heart before Him because He is a place/a person of refuge or shelter “for us”. That includes you and me in the age we live in.

If you have been a “victim” of abuse or betrayed by a close loved one, perhaps you need to read and meditate on these two chapters and follow the psalmist’s counsel!

You can always reach out to me if you need to talk- shoot me an email!