I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” (Psalm 116:1-4)
“Call Me”
In 1965 Petula Clark released the song “Call Me,” a jaunty little tune with lyrics that might remind us of a simpler time. The song eventually reached the top of the Billboard charts when it was re-recorded by Chris Montez later that same year. If you want to get it stuck in your head (like it is in mine) you can listen to the song HERE. Remember, you were warned!
Now, I’m not old enough to remember Petula Clark or Chris Montez! But somehow the words from that song crept into my mind as I was reading Psalm 116 this week. Imagine, for a moment, that God is singing these words over you:
If you’re feeling sad and lonely, there’s a service I can render.
Tell the one who loves you only; I can be so warm and tender.
Call me, don’t be afraid, you can call me. Maybe it’s late, but just call me.
Tell me, and I’ll be around.
When it seems your friends desert you, there’s somebody thinking of you.
I’m the one who’ll never hurt you; maybe that’s because I love you. Call me…
Now, don’t forget me, ’cause if you let me I will always stay by you.
You gotta trust me that’s how it must be. There’s so much that I can do.
If you call, I’ll be right with you. You and I should be together. Take this love I long to give you. I’ll be at your side forever. You gotta call me. Call me now.
Psalm 116 is another of the so-called “Hallel” psalms (nos. 113-118), sung each year during the Jewish celebration of Passover. As such, it is a song that has been sung literally millions of times over the centuries, including once in a little upper room in Jerusalem long ago, the night before Jesus was led away to be crucified. We don’t know how “jaunty” the tune was that Jesus and his disciples sang at that Last Supper, but we can be certain that the words of the psalm reminded them that even in their darkest hour—when they are sad and lonely; when it seems their friends have deserted them—they could trust God, they could be sure of His love, they could call on the name of the Lord.
The psalmist begins with a simple statement, “I love the Lord, for he heard my voice” (vs. 1). When I cried for mercy, when the fear of death overwhelmed me, when I was crying and stumbling through my darkest hours—“Then I called on the name of the Lord: ‘Lord save me!’” (vs. 4)
Call me, don’t be afraid, you can call me. Maybe it’s late, but just call me. Tell me, and I’ll be around.
We can call on the name of the Lord in our darkest hour or in our happiest moments. Why? Because he is “gracious and righteous…full of compassion” (vs. 5). God is the one who protects us when we are most vulnerable, he is the one who stoops down to pick us up when we have hit rock bottom (vs. 6).
Call me, don’t be afraid, you can call me. Maybe it’s late, but just call me. Tell me, and I’ll be around.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that this simple, life-giving truth isn’t just for Jesus and his 12 disciples…it isn’t just for Jews. It’s for everyone. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!” (Romans 10:13) No matter what we are going through…no matter what we’ve done…no matter how dark and desperate our situation…whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved!
Call me, don’t be afraid, you can call me. Maybe it’s late, but just call me. Tell me, and I’ll be around.
Are you feeling sad and lonely? Does the world seem out of control? Have you been sucked into the fear and darkness of pandemics and politics? Have you lost your way…your hope…your joy? Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved! That means YOU! Don’t be afraid, you can call Him. It’s never too late, you can call Him. Take the love He longs to give you. He’ll be at your side forever! Call Him! Remember, He is the Living Water…stay thirsty, my friend!
Pastor Philip
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