Tyler Young
His reputation had preceded him. When David fled from Saul to take refuge in Gath among the Philistines, he was recognized by the locals as the great warrior of their enemy Israel—David, “who had slain his ten thousands” (1 Sam. 21:11). He was “sore afraid of Achish, king of Gath, and he changed his behavior before them, and feigned himself mad” (21:13). Through his resourcefulness and by the grace of God, David escaped and fled to hide in a cave.
This episode in his life caused him a good measure of anxiety and heartache. Tears fell from his face as the Holy Spirit moved him to record his feelings in Psalm 56. It was there he said, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me? (56:3-4). Then he expressed these comforting words of confidence:
“You number my wanderings; Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; this I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” (56:8-11).
The imagery of God putting David’s tears in a bottle is a touching means of expressing God’s concern for his people and his awareness of our suffering. There may be times when our spirits seem overwhelmed with fear, with cares and concerns that bring tears to our eyes. As our grief drives us to call upon God for relief, we may wonder if he really hears our prayers, if he really knows our tears. David’s words assure us that God keeps a careful record of our hearts, and knows every tear that falls. Not only does he know when we’re crying, but our tears of pain are precious to him, stored up in his own bottle.
He can think of that bottle as God’s way of saying, “I know, and I care.” As he said to a sobbing Hezekiah, when he faced the prospect of an imminent death, “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears” (2 Kings 20:5).
No wonder Peter urges cast “all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Pet. 5:7). As the very hairs of our heads are numbered, as a sparrow does not fall to the ground without God taking note of it (Mat. 10:29-30), so it is that not a single tear falls with God tenderly collecting them in his bottle.
How great must his love be for us, that he would take note of our sorrows? He knows those sorrows, because he became a man in Christ and shed not only tears for us (Luke 19:41; Heb. 5:7) but shed his precious blood that we might be delivered from sin and have the hope of being with him one day, where “he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall be mourning, nor crying, nor pain any more” (Rev. 21:4).
Until that great day, we will have our sorrows. Our tears will fall. But a comfort which eases the pain and helps dry the tears is knowing our God knows, and keeps his bottle of our tears near his heart.