Scraping the bottom of the barrel, hitting rock bottom, and reaching the end of my rope are all phrases we hear in today’s culture. The mounting feelings of absolute anguish and despair we may face are as old as time. In Psalm 22, David figuratively describes his distress: bulls surround him, roaring lions open their mouths against him, he is poured out like water, his bones are out of joint, his heart has melted, and he lies in the dust of death.
When we are out of ideas, have no hope, and sadness permeates our every breath, it becomes easy to feel like we are alone and no one else could possibly understand. Then you read the words of David in Psalm 22, King David, God’s chosen and anointed leader. When we read that even God’s chosen leader had moments in which he was out of ideas, at rock bottom, and afraid for his very life, we are assured that we are not the first person to feel the depths of despair and hopelessness.
But David didn’t stay at the end of his rope! He did three very important things: First, he cried out to God. “Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help” (vs. 11). “You are my strength” (vs. 19). Second, he praised God and encouraged others to do the same when he said, “I will declare Your name to my people; in the assembly I will praise You. You who fear the Lord, praise Him!” (vs. 22, 23a). Third, David remembered and declared that God “has not hidden His face from the afflicted but has listened to his cry for help” (vs. 24).
So take heart and be encouraged! If you feel like you're at the end of your rope and all alone, cry out to God, praise Him, and remember that He has heard you and will be your strength.