When The Lion Speaks

When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.   Psalm 32:3

Groaning – We have all kept quiet about sin.  And we have all suffered the consequences.  David is absolutely right (and he would know).  When I close the closet door on my sin, when I cover it up and pretend it will go away, I might as well drink poison.  The body knows something is wrong.  Today we would call it psychosomatic.  In David’s day, he used a much more descriptive term – she’agah.  But don’t be misdirected by the English translation “groaning.” This word is the sound of a lion’s roar.  It is not a muffled groan.  It is a terrifying howl, a deep, ominous growl. 

“When I kept silent about my sin, the lion inside was let loose.  My body howled in my agony all day long.”  That is the prayer of torment.  It is the prayer of a man who refuses to bring confession to the light.  And it is eating him alive.

Did you expect the biblical vocabulary of prayer to include the roar of the lion?  Probably not.  You probably thought prayer was quiet adoration, acceptable accolades, timid petitions and occasional outbursts of thanksgiving.  The Hebrew view of prayer is a lot more uncivilized.  It is emotional, overwhelming, dynamic, unpredictable and terrifying.  It even includes the king of beasts released within the beast of kings.  Wherever the heart travels, prayer should be there.

Sin will not be hidden.  The Bible is quite clear about that.  When your mind tries to cover it up, your heart roars like a caged lion.  It howls for release.  The only prayer that sets the lion free is the prayer, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Let the lion out today.  When it comes to confession, pray with a roar.