A Love Poem for God
Longing for God. Yearning for God. Practically pleading for God.
Few passages in the Bible hold such intimacy in describing man’s relationship with God. Reading it for the first time, one nearly blushes at the detailed description and language. The images are vivid and come alive on the page.
“A dry, worn-out, and waterless land”
“Raising hands in prayer”
“In the shadow of your wings I sing for joy”
It is a true love poem—right up there with a sonnet from Shakespeare, Coleridge, or Browning. And just like those great love poems, this psalm strikes us with all the classic poetic devices we learned in high school. Full of metaphors, similes, and hyperbole. And yet, beyond all the literary analysis, what lingers is the feeling this poetic psalm brings. Alongside the deep emotions of love and adoration, like any intense love story, there is a hint of desperation. Is this, in fact, a story of unrequited love?
Thinking of someone all night long, using words like “I cling to you,” and declaring that love is better than life itself. Can we throw our whole selves into this love and trust that we will feel love in return? This is a love poem for God, and how often have we felt this same relationship—yearning, longing, and pleading?
At times, it can be hard to know if love is returned. Yet He is there, steady and unwavering. The love we thirst for is not withheld; it is poured out. Not always in ways we expect, but in ways that sustain. And so we cling, not in desperation, but in trust.
Lord, you are the one our souls thirst for. In our longing, meet us. In our searching, reveal yourself. When we feel lost or uncertain, remind us that your love is constant, your presence unwavering. Help us to cling to you not in fear, but in trust. May we rest in the shadow of your wings and sing for joy. Amen.
Aaron Andersen