The Oxford English Dictionary defines distress as “extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.”
When faced with unchangeable tribulations feelings of terror grip our very souls. Especially acute is our sense of hopelessness when we muster up enough strength and courage to ask advice from a spouse, parent, brother, sister or friend only to hear “crickets,” mere sympathy, or suggestions that have zero probability of success! O if we would only seek council from our Sovereign God instead of from the foolish “dust of the earth” we would find mercy, escape or be given the strength to endure our tribulations with joy! While today’s passage is a prayer from King David to be rescued from his enemies it is also is a beautiful template on how to seek and find mercy from God when faced with overwhelming difficulties and turbulent seas of tribulations. Using a series of imperative verbs such as hear, answer, guard, show, save, teach, faith and trust; David humbly pleaded for mercy from God based on His sovereignty and character. This sermon is intended to show how one can cry out and receive mercy from the One who knit, shapes and sustains our very souls!