The biblical “hero of the faith”, David, suffered a lot.

He was often scared, worried, depressed, anxious, discouraged. And many of his prayers in the psalms represent that. In Psalm 30:1, he prayed,

“I will praise you O Lord, for you lifted me up.”

The Hebrew word for the phrase “you lifted me up” is the image of drawing water from a deep well. David is saying he feels trapped in a pit but the Lord has lifted him up/rescued him out of that pit to safety. (Cf. Ps 103:1-4)

You may be in a season of feeling like you’re “going under”.  An unsettling diagnosis from a Dr., a divorce, the death of a loved one, financial burdens, an estranged relationship, trouble at work, back-breaking stress, the list goes on and on.

In 1912, James Rowe wrote a poem set to music by his friend, Howard Smith. (A hymn is simply someone’s story put to music.) A prolific writer, James claims to have written 19,000 song texts over his lifetime.  Perhaps, no text is better well known than this one…

I was sinking deep in sin, Far from the peaceful shore,

Very deeply stained within, Sinking to rise no more;

But the Master of the sea, Heard my despairing cry,

From the waters lifted me, Now safe am I.

Love lifted me!

Love lifted me!

When nothing else could help,

Love lifted me.

Feel like you’re sinking? Jesus is whispering to you, “I’ve got you. Trust me.”

nick