Hear My Cry

I always loved to talk with dad about hymns (I came by it honestly). One hymn that he and I talked about recently was “Hear Me When I Call.” Many of the words and ideas come from the psalms. And I have trouble singing it without crying. Words set to music are so very powerful. I think, God in His wisdom, knew that. He knew that one way to touch the depth of our souls was through music.

Would you read these beautiful lyrics with me please?

Hear Me When I Call

Lyrics and Music by Tillit S. Teddlie

Hear me when I call, O God, my righteousness,
Unto Thee I come in weakness and distress;
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!

Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer,
More and more I need Thy mercy and Thy care;
Clouds of doubt arise and faith grows weak and small,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!

Hear my voice, O God, and cleanse my soul within,
Mercy do I need for all my doubts and sin;
Only in Thy grace I trust my all in all,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!

Hear my prayer, O God, I need Thy cleansing power,
Let me feel Thee near each moment of each hour;
Hold my trembling hand, lest helpless I should fall,
O hear me, Lord, hear me, O hear me when I call!

I think about this great, beautiful, compassionate God we have. I think about the many times we cry out to him: hear me, Lord!

When we are heartbroken. When we are weary. When we have nowhere else to turn. When our loved ones are struggling. When health is poor. When our souls grow weak. The list goes on – because, quite frankly, life can be hard and bitter.

But we have such a great, undeserved gift: We have a God who hears our cry!

I think of the Israelites, enslaved in Egypt:

During those many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery and cried out for help. Their cry for rescue from slavery came up to God. And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. ²⁵ God saw the people of Israel—and God knew.

~ Exodus 2:23

I think of so many places in the psalms:

I waited patiently for the Lord;
    he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
    out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
    making my steps secure. ~ Psalm 40:1-2

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me,
    for in you my soul takes refuge;
in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,
    till the storms of destruction pass by.
² I cry out to God Most High,
    to God who fulfills his purpose for me. ~ Psalm 57:1-2

And I think of today. In my own life. Of the many times I have cried out to him. Even in my darkest moments. Even when my spouse, my church family, my children, my best friends, cannot possibly know what’s in my heart: the Lord does. He is with me. He is with us. He hears us. And He cares.

So, cry out to God. He won’t be surprised at your emotions or your distress, your sin or your hurt. He is the very one we can and should turn to. And He is the one who can pick up all the pieces and bind up your wounds.