MAY 22
Psalm 102:6, “I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places.”
Most owl species live and hunt alone, especially outside the breeding season. They are nocturnal, elusive creatures that prefer remote, undisturbed habitats. The psalmist draws on this imagery—“like an owl in the wilderness” (Psalm 102:6)—to reflect his deep sense of isolation. He feels utterly alone, as though abandoned in a barren and lifeless place. His suffering is so profound that he not only feels cut off from others, but also forsaken by God.
The psalmist vividly portrays his anguish through powerful metaphors and emotional language. Physically, he feels weak and consumed, describing his bones burning and his body wasting away (Psalm 102:3–5). He faces relentless opposition (v.8), is overwhelmed by grief (v.9), and feels discarded by God, as if thrown aside in divine anger (v.10). He is also acutely aware of his frailty and the fleeting nature of life, comparing his days to a fading evening shadow (v.11).
Yet even in the depths of his despair, the psalmist finds reason for hope. He cries out to God not only because of his pain, but because he knows the character of the One to whom he prays. Though he is frail and mortal, God is the eternal, enthroned Creator of the heavens and the earth (v.12, 25). Though he feels abandoned, he remembers how God has heard the cries of His people in the past and acted to set them free so they might worship and serve Him (v.18–22).
No matter how desperate your situation may seem, what was true for the psalmist remains true today. The Creator of the heavens and the earth hears when we cry out to Him. The God who saved through the death and resurrection of Jesus still has the power to intervene in our lives for good. There may be times when you feel like an “owl of the waste places,” utterly alone in a hopeless region of life—but there is no situation too desolate for God to enter. In every season of suffering, we can still echo the psalmist’s plea: “Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry come to you!” (Psalm 102:1).
“In times of pain, when it feels as though the whole world is closing in, remember, prayer can be your refuge, your strength, and your shield.” — Corrie ten Boom
Application Questions: In times of deep suffering or feeling abandoned, how can you shift your focus from your circumstances to the character and faithfulness of God, as the psalmist did in Psalm 102? When facing moments of intense loneliness, how important is it for you to draw near to God in prayer, trusting in His ability to redeem your situation?
LookingtoJesus 