(Psalm 56:8-9)…..You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.
Does God really care about me? How many of us have ever asked that question, or thought that thought sometime in our life? Does God really understand what I am going through in my life? Is God really there? Does God hear me when I cry out to Him for help? These are all real questions that haunt so many people today? Where is God in this time of trouble? Notice that David says, “You number my wanderings….” That is, You keep an account of them. You notice me as I am driven from one place to another to find safety. What is it that God notices concerning David’s wanderings? His wanderings….to Gath (1 Samuel 21:10)….to the cave of Adullam (1 Samuel 22:1)….to Mizpeh, in Moab (1 Samuel 22:3)….to the forest of Hareth (1 Samuel 22:5)….to Keilah (1 Samuel 23:5)….to the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 23:14)….to the wilderness of Maon (1 Samuel 23:25)….and to En-gedi (1 Samuel 24:1-2)
What is so great about this thought is that God also numbers our wanderings, that is, He knows the places we will go, the places we have been, He knows the path that we will walk, yes even today. Just read any or all of theses verses this morning to see this (Job 31:4) (Job 34:21) (Psalm 1:6) (Psalm 119:168) (Psalm 139:1-6) (Psalm 37:23) (Psalm 40:1-2) (Proverbs 20:24) (Proverbs 16:9)
How does it make you feel that God numbers (tellest – to inscribe – to declare – to number) our steps, our wanderings? Does it make you feel secure, safe, loved? David’s request of God was that He would take notice of David’s afflictions, his troubles which caused so many tears, and that God would remember them and deliver him out of them? His tears were noticed by God and put into God’s book (possibly His book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16). Does God record even our tears that are shed in time of trouble and despair? Possibly! God knows everything we are going through at every junction of our life. He takes note of the big and the small things, every part of our life in detail because He is a personal God (Matthew 10:29-30). So yes, God will answer our tears also. Notice what David said here in (56:9)…..“When I cry out to You, then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me.”
(Psalm 126:5-6)…..Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
(Revelation 7:17)…..for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”