Oh, For the Wings of a Dove

Felix Mendelssohn used parts of Psalm 55 for his anthem “Hear My Prayer.” My favorite section is the soprano solo:

“O for the wings, for the wings of a dove!
Far away, far away would I rove!
In the wilderness build me a nest,
and remain there for ever at rest.”

It seems so calming. I really understand the desire to fly away to some safe place. Life is tough. Reading the whole psalm, however, is troubling, especially verses 12-14:

“My enemies are not the ones who sneer and make fun.
I could put up with that or even hide from them.
But it was my closest friend, the one I trusted most.
We enjoyed being together, and we went with others to your house, our God.” (CEV)

The Psalmist agonizes over betrayal by a friend. Is that an experience you can identify with? Part of the power of the Scriptures is that they aren’t just about “dead people who lived a long time ago,” but are about the experiences and challenges of our everyday lives.

When the Son of God took on flesh in Jesus, he took on all of our woes. Jesus knew what it was to be betrayed by friends. Judas sold him out, Peter denied knowing him, most of the disciples abandoned him. When we pray to our Lord, we pray to one who intimately understands us. We can pray in confidence as the psalmist says: “Our LORD, we belong to you. We tell you what worries us, and you won’t let us fall.”

Read Psalm 55 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne