I met a little girl and I settled down
In a pretty little house in a pretty little town
We got married, and promised to never part
Then little by little we drifted from each other’s hearts
Now I’m driving a stolen car on a pitch black night, and I’m doing my best to make it through
well I’m just sitting down here at the Stanton light, I wanna get caught, but I never do
At first I thought it was just restlessness
That would fade as time went by and our love grew deep
But in the end it was something more I guess
That tore us apart and made us weep
And I’m driving a stolen car
Waiting on that little red light
I keep telling myself everything’s gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
and in this darkness I might just disappear
She asked if I remembered the letters I wrote
When our love was young and we were bold
She said last night she read those letters
And they made her feel one hundred years old
There’s a river that runs by that little town
down into the sea
It was there in the shade I laid my body down, as she flowed on so effortlessly
Now there’s a party tonight out off the county line, they’ll be dancing down at seven trees
From these banks I can see those party lights shine, maybe she’s there, maybe she’s looking for me
Last night I dreamed I made the call
I swore to return to stay forever more
once again we stood on the wedding steps at victory hall and walked arm and arm through the chapel door
I can remember how good I felt inside
when the preacher said “Son, you may kiss the bride”
But as I leaned over to touch her pretty lips
I felt it all slip away through my fingertips
And I’m driving a stolen car through a pitch black night, I keep telling myself everything is gonna be alright
But I ride by night and I travel in fear
no matter what I do, or where I drive
Nobody ever sees me when I ride by
Although it is one of his lesser-known songs, Stolen Car is my all-time favorite Bruce Springsteen ballad. This haunting poem tells the story of a man who goes through a painful divorce and is trying to cope with the reality of his shattered life and broken dreams. With nothing better to do, nothing to live for; he steals a car and drives alone aimlessly through the darkness, thinking about his ex-wife and what might have been. Sadly, his loneliness cannot even be relieved by getting caught, because no one notices him. The stolen car is a metaphor for an empty, desperate, and hopeless existence.
I’m not entirely sure why, but I have always been attracted to sad songs like this. Maybe it’s because the first half of my life was filled with so many emotions of emptiness, or maybe it is because I know so many people who are fraught by feelings of hopelessness. Some people find songs like this depressing, but I find comfort in reflecting on the realities of desolation and despair, which are so common in our sinful world. Contrary to the popular emphasis on the power of positive thinking that we see in modern American society, sometimes we need to reflect on the dark and depressing sides of life. Sometimes we need a dirge of dejection to connect with the sadness in our souls.
The Bible is filled with songs just like this. Many of the Psalms are songs of lament; they were composed to convey grief, mourning, worry, loneliness, and confusion. These songs teach us that God understands our situation; he is present in the midst of our pain; and he is the only true source of hope. Some of the same feelings expressed in Springsteen’s “Stolen Car” are found here in Psalm 62, which is a song that King David composed in the midst of a seemingly hopeless situation in his life. Let’s take a look!
David’s Hopeless Situation (3-4)
David does not share the historical background of this Psalm, so we are left to guess the specifics of when, where, and why he wrote it. But he does give us a partial glimpse of his situation in verses 3-4, when he speaks directly to his enemies. We don’t know for sure who the enemies are (it may be his own son Absalom or a number of others who betrayed him), but they are portrayed as false friends who are persecuting him. His question in verse 3, “How long…?” implies that these enemies have been plotting against him for a long period of time. Like a besieging army battering against the weakening walls of a city, these enemies seek to dethrone King David from his high position and destroy him. They use seductive schemes and manipulative words in their attempts to ruin him. Hypocritically, they bless him to his face, but they curse him behind his back. Lies spewed from their lips!
Whatever the exact circumstances, David’s situation seemed hopeless; emotionally, he was battling with the bitterness of betrayal and the ache of false accusations; physically, his army was nowhere to be found and he feared for his life. His state of mind was like a leaning wall or a tottering fence, on the brink of being toppled over. He was at the end of his rope; he had reached his breaking point; he was on the edge, and one more thing would cause him to collapse.
Have you ever felt like that? Do you ever feel battered down and beat up? Do you ever felt like a leaning wall or a tottering fence? Do you ever felt like you were driving a stolen car through a pitch black night? Perhaps you have had an experience that left you feeling alone and desolate? Maybe you are going through something in your life that makes you feel emotionally empty? What do you do when you are backed into a corner and don’t have any hope?
Hope in Times of Hopelessness (1-2; 5-12)
David answers that question for us; the answer is found before and after the hopelessness of verses 3-4. He begins the first stanza (vs.1-2) with a powerful affirmation of trust. His soul is going to wait patiently for God alone because he knows that his salvation comes only from God. God alone is his rock, his salvation, and his fortress, and because of this, he will not be shaken. Notice how the word “alone” is repeated for emphasis! He was placing his trust in no one or thing other than God. His heart waited on God alone!
We see that same repetition and emphasis in verses 5-8. God alone is his source of hope. Only God is David’s rock, salvation, and fortress. His salvation and glory depend upon God alone. God is his rock; his firm foundation; his refuge from the storm. He believes this so much that he makes it his testimony to others in verse 8, where he tells people to trust in him at all times and to pour their hearts out before him. Since God was their only hope, he wanted them to only put their hope in God.
David continues to solidify his point by shattering some of the false idols whereby people commonly sought hope. Many people put their hope in their social status and family heritage head. Those of high estate often think that they are better off or more secure than people of low estate, but high esteem only produces arrogance, not hope. Why? Because when the great scales of God go up on Judgment Day, there is no difference between high class and low class.
Likewise, many people put their hope and trust in material wealth and financial security. The endless pursuit of monetary gain, which frequently involves some sort of oppression or robbery, is most unwise. The most important things in life cannot be bought; nor the most important things in death. Social status, family heritage, or material wealth are not good foundations for hope.
David ends his song by presenting two compelling reasons (vs. 11-12) why God alone should be our hope: his power and steadfast love. God has shown his power in the events of history, including the dangers that have threatened David. God has shown his love by keeping his promises to his people.
What should we do when we face seemingly hopeless situations in our lives? Wait patiently for God! Put your trust in him! He alone is our rock, our salvation, and our mighty fortress; we can find refuge in him! His power and love are unlimited! He is the one who saved Noah from the great flood! He is the one who parted the Red Sea and saved the Israelites from the Egyptians! He is the one who gave the shepherd boy David victory over the Philistine giant Goliath! And if we put our trust and our hope in him, he will deliver us from whatever seemingly hopeless situation we face today!
If you put your hope in social status, family heritage, monetary wealth, personal possessions, political promises, government programs, military might, or any other temporal device, you will be disappointed in the end. None of these things can offer lasting hope. Only God is eternal and he is the only one who can give us the hope of eternal life!
The first Sunday of Advent is reserved for reflecting on the hope that we have in God. If you want a good example of God’s power, just think about the Incarnation, where Jesus left heaven, took on human flesh, and was born of the virgin mother Mary. If you want a good example of God’s love, think about his willingness to give up his own son and allow him to suffer the pain of crucifixion to pay the penalty for our sins.
We can have hope today because of what Jesus has done for us through the First Advent! We can also have hope because of Jesus’ promise to return during the Second Advent. So, throughout this advent season and the rest of your life, whether you feel like a stolen car in the pitch black night or a tottering fence that is about to fall over, I hope that God alone would be your hope!