Weak and Needy

Psalm 69:33 (NIV)

The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people. 

We all long to be heard.  Being listened to is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other.  Once you have experienced being heard, you walk away with a sense of deep satisfaction and validation.  With multiple distractions interfering with our conversations, it takes enormous effort and intentionality to focus to pay attention and listen well. 

“The Lord hears.” God is listening and paying attention to our wordless cries. In this Psalm, David is pouring out his pain, lamenting, and crying out to God to rescue and save him. For 28 verses, he tells God about his suffering. Then he begins to praise God and remind himself of who God is and what God does; God listens. God hears. God sees. God knows.  

David doesn’t shy away from telling God what he’s experiencing. In verse 29, “I am in pain and distress.” He’s honest, vulnerable, and transparent. He doesn't wear a mask and pretend that all is okay. In other words, he admits he’s needy. 

Not a word we like to use to describe ourselves. Weak, needy, and helpless are not what we post on social media; not how we describe ourselves. When someone asks, “How are you?”   “Oh, I’m needy and weak, today. How are you?” We are taught to guard and protect our hearts.

In God’s upside-down kingdom, He is drawn to our weakness and neediness. God listens to us and is lovingly attracted to our weakness. Jim Cymbala, pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, says, “God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need him. Our weakness, in fact, makes room for his power.” How freeing is it to know our weakness is the door to show off God’s power! 

The last phrase of this verse, “and does not despise his captive people” identifies the way God views us. God’s character is flawless. God’s love is faithful. God’s heart is drawn to us, and He is not annoyed, or mad at us, and doesn’t ignore us. In our humanness, we get trapped into thinking that the way we’ve been treated by people is the way God sees us. We are using an inaccurate way to view God, based on our human interactions. God loves us in our neediness.  

We are his people. We belong to the God of the universe, Creator of all things, who sees, hears, knows, and loves us.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Thank you for hearing us when we cry out to You. We are weak and needy. Every day we face our humanness. Thank you that You do not ignore us. Thank you for Your faithful love and listening ear. Help us in our neediness to run to You and rest in the promise of knowing You hear us and love us. In Your Mighty Name, Amen.