While I Wait for My God

Does anybody actually enjoy waiting? I know I don’t. Not in line at Walmart. Not for my food to be delivered to my door. And definitely not for God to hurry up and do what I think should be done in my life or the lives of others. But do you know who invented efficiency? God did! Who created time? Who planned our stories before the foundation of the world was even laid? Who knows exactly what He is doing? God. Our Lord is the Master Economist–He never wastes anything, not even periods of waiting.

While reading the Psalms, I came across a verse that struck me with its relevance, and I just had to write a song about it. Psalm 69:3 “I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” This whole psalm wrung my heart with the pain David was himself experiencing, pain that caused him to pour out his feelings in thirty-six verses of beautiful and relatable poetry. And what I consider the most singular thing about David’s psalms, is that he never seems to write them with his fist raised in anger towards God, or doubt that the Lord is in control, or bewilderment as to how God could ever be glorified in the midst of his unfair circumstances.

David possessed a rare insight to the heart of God that often eludes even the best of Christians today. He knew, no matter what, that God was God–unaltered and unalterable by situations of man. When David wondered if the Lord would rescue him, he didn’t wonder if God COULD but if He WOULD. He understood that God’s ways are higher and His thoughts wiser than man’s–and if God’s glory would be better served through leaving his servant in distress, then so be it.

David’s psalms tend to end on notes of hope that contrast sharply with his beginning lines of despair. In this specific psalm, he says this–“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Regardless of his problems, his enemies, or his galling periods of waiting, David kept his lifelong resolve to praise his God–because God was still worthy of praise whether He delivered David from his problems or not.

I don’t feel particularly thankful for the times God keeps me waiting on the next step, the next instructions. Waiting tends to fray the nerves. But, like David, I need to believe that God’s ways are wiser than mine. And if He keeps me waiting longer than I anticipate, the results must be worth waiting for!

Here is my take on Psalm 69:

“While I wait for my God,

While I look for His will,

In the dark of the night,

In the day never still—

Will You hear me, O Lord?

Will You answer with peace?

Will You draw nigh my soul?

Will You bid this storm cease?

“While I sink in deep mire,

While the floods overflow,

When hope’s comfort is gone,

When help’s coming seems slow—

Will You save me, O God?

Will You leave me in shame?

Will You still hide Your face? 

Will You sink me in blame? 

“While I hunger and thirst,

While I fast and I pray,

When I weary of tears,

When I drown in dismay—

Will You see me, O Lord? 

Will You let my heart break? 

Will You comfort me now?

Will You never forsake? 

“While I wait for my God,

While I look for His will,

I will praise Him with song 

Full of thanksgiving still.

For the Lord hears the poor—

Those who call He will save—

He will never forget  

Those He loved and forgave.”

(( Poor recording quality, and I wish there was accompaniment, but here is the tune for the song above!))