How Long!

“How long!” This exclamation is an age-old cry of desperation or frustration for individuals or groups who have faced vexing, debilitating, burdensome or even threatening situations for a period of time. This phrase appears in Psalm 79:5; in Hebrew it is ^⊂ ad-māh, which literally means “until when,” but also may be translated “how long.” The phrase appears in two other psalms, 4:3 and 89:47. In the former, the psalmist confronts people who have defamed him with lies and asks how long will they persist in their vile behavior. In the latter, the psalmist confronts God, whom he accuses of acting inconsistently. Although God promised to establish David’s dynasty in perpetuity, the nation, at some point in its history, has suffered a military defeat. Apparently this attack has had a lingering effect, and the psalmist wonders how long the Lord will permit this situation in view of God’s earlier promise to David.

In Psalm 79:5 also, the psalmist cries out “How long!” This time the life-setting is that of the Babylonian Exile (587-539 B.C.). Psalm 79 (which you will want to read at http://www.usccb.org/bible/ psalms/79 before continuing) is a psalm of lament, a piece of musical poetry in which the psalmist appeals to God for help amid severe difficulties. The cry of lament arises from those who are suffering extreme misfortune and are unable to help themselves.

In 79:2 the psalmist addresses God with a complaint: “the nations have come into your (God’s) inheritance,” defiled the Temple and laid Jerusalem waste. The psalmist refers to the Babylonians who have attacked Israel with the word “nations,” a word which negatively casts them as pagans, those who do not adhere to the true God (the God of Israel). By contrast, devastated Israel, is characterized positively as “God’s inheritance,” people who enjoy a special relationship with God.

The psalmist accuses the attackers of immoral behavior. First, they have defiled the Temple by ravaging it and leaving it in a state unfit for worship, thus, they have desecrated what is holy. Secondly, they have left the corpses of those they killed in the attack unburied, an act which left the land defiled (Deuteronomy 21:23). Thirdly, they have rendered God’s people subject to ridicule, because it appears to the other nations that their god has abandoned them in a state of helplessness.

Often in a psalm of lament the psalmist will ask “why” God has allowed the individual or the people to suffer, as in the famous Psalm 22 (verse 2, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”). In Psalm 79:5, however, the psalmist asks “how long?”. As we have seen, the lament is generated by the suffering Israel endured at the hands of the Babylonians. The cry of “how long” indicates that Israel has endured this suffering for a time. The complaint is being expressed probably some years after the Babylonian attack in 587 B.C. Israel’s suffering is compounded by the lingering of the painful situation. Consequently, the people are wondering, “when will it end?” The psalmist is honest in that the suffering of his people was not undeserved, but he is wondering at what point will the punishment be enough.

In verses 9-13, the psalmist includes other traditional elements of a psalm of lament. Having levied the complaint, the psalmist expresses trust that God will help (79:13), and mentions the specific ways the psalmist wants God to help. The psalmist asks God not to remember the sins of Israel’s ancestors (79:8), which is to ask God to cease visiting upon the exiles punishment for sins committed by their ancestors in the nation’s past history. God’s action in this regard would alleviate their punitive suffering. Additionally, the psalmist implores God’s compassion. The psalmist also directly addresses God as “savior” and begs that God will help his people, who cannot help themselves (79:9). While the psalmist’s request that God take vengeance on their tormentors may seem harsh, it is in fact a request that God maneuver historical events to effect Israel’s release from captivity (79:10). In fact, their release came at the hands of Cyrus of Persia who is extolled as God’s anointed! (Isaiah 45:1).
“How long!” may be our cry of complaint to God as we continue to endure the debilitating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our movement from “Phase 1" to “Phase 2" of the plan to slow down the spread of the Coronavirus was a sign of hope for us. Yet, we were disappointed to hear that our progress had apparently plateaued when we did not move into “Phase 3.” In addition, we have recently heard disappointing news that, after an initial decline in the escalation of cases, since we entered “Phase 2" positive tests for the virus were on the rise. Over the last few months a number of people have told me they are tiring of the inconveniences, suffering and mourning this pandemic has brought to our lives. I share their weariness. As of my writing of this article, no definite end to our tribulations is in sight. So we join the author of Psalm 79 and rightfully cry out to God, “How long!”

For many of us the solution to the problem we are experiencing is not coming quickly enough. It is not inappropriate to ask God “how long” we must endure this situation, if that helps us to express our feelings. We need to join the author of Psalm 79, however, not only in expressing our frustration, but also in calling on God for help in the midst of this pandemic and expressing confidence in God’s desire and ability to rescue us from the peril we face. Situations such as this one in which we struggle to get control of things may lead some people to realize for the first time in a long time, or others to realize more than they ever have, that we can turn to and believe in the God who looms larger than any difficulty we may face. Certainly human ingenuity regarding the practice of medicine will help us overcome this pandemic, but even that ingenuity is inspired by divine grace. Most of all, it is a time for us to abandon our selfish individualism and to concern ourselves with the welfare of all people.

Israel suffered in exile for many years, yet God intervened in their situation and eventually freed them from their captivity. We can and should trust that God will do the same for us, even if the resolution of this conflict is longer in coming than we would like it to be.
 
Reflection Questions
● How does the continuance of a situation of adversity such as the COVID-19 pandemic complicate and intensify the misfortune experienced?
 
● How does having to wait longer than expected for God to act in a situation affect your faith and prayer?
 
● How can we help promote a sense of trust in divine providence and patience as the pandemic lingers on?