Lonesome Songs

"Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me."  Psalm 142:4

This weekend we are going to be looking at a lonely song from the Bible, David's Psalm 142.  It got me to thinking about the sad, lonesome songs played on the radios, 8 track players, cassette tape players, Walkman's  and other musical devices in my life time.

There's old rock songs, "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Only the Lonely."  There's old country songs from my childhood, "I'm So Lonesome I could Cry" and a bit more cheery "Oh, Lonesome Me."  There's the sad pop songs of my high school years, "One is the Loneliest Number," along with the so sad its suicidal, "Alone Again, Naturally" and then there's "All by Myself."  Hopefully, I am not causing any of these to get stuck playing in your head on Valentine's Day.  As it used to be said, "Bummer, man."

I must admit I am pretty out of touch with today's music but I am familiar enough to know they are still writing sad, lonely songs.  The question came to me, "Is there such a thing as a lonely rap song?"  A quick Google search led me to the "Songfacts.com" site and yes, Drake has done a sad, lonesome rap song.

I suppose sad, lonesome songs are universal to every language and musical genre because loneliness is universal to all men and women, in all times, in all cultures.  David even wrote one in ancient Hebrew in a cave.  I am not sure what kind of instrument he used.  Do you play lonesome songs on a zither or a "ten stringed instrument?"  We probably will never know and don't need to know.

Lonesomeness is something we have all felt - painfully at times, some people more than others but all of us have been alone when we did not want to be and something in us cried out for something more.  Just as David did in Psalm 142.

From what David wrote in that Psalm, there seems to be a loneliness that no other human can fill - a loneliness for God.  When we cry out as David did, we can find God's answer - as David did.  Unfortunately a lot of people's loneliness will be exacerbated by the commercial and social pressure of Valentine's Day.  God has an answer for that as well.  Wherever you are on this loneliness spectrum, let's get together and talk to Him this weekend.  More importantly, let's hear what He has already said.  He has a song that answers our loneliness.

for the journey...

Tim