Psalm 38 A Psalm of David
with commentaries by Dennis Edwards.
Psalm 38 is one of the penitent
psalms. The others being Psalms 6, 32, 51, 102, 130,
and 143 in the Hebrew numbering. These psalms, or prayers in song, are
said to be an expression of sorrow for sin. As such, they have been a comfort
and encouragement to God’s sinning saints over the centuries.
38:1-4 O Lord,
rebuke me not in Your wrath: neither chasten me in Your hot
displeasure. For your arrows
stick fast in me, and Your hand presses me sore. There is
no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger;
neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For my
iniquities are gone over my head:
as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
When we are experiencing attesting
in our life through sickness or persecution of some sort, we examine ourselves,
our conscience weighing heavy upon us. We look to see where we have gone
astray. If we have indeed sinned through some weakness of the flesh, or sexual
sin, as was the case with David and Bathsheba; that sin is brought before us
constantly by the enemy of our soul, the accuser of the saints, our adversary, Satan.
He accuses us of sinning and then tries to condemn us for it. He tries to
convince us that we have sinned beyond the mercy of God. Therefore, we shall be
cast out, and God will not extend His mercy or send healing or forgiveness. We
will get out just reward in death. However, Jonah tells us, if we believe such lies
of the devil, we will forsake God’s mercy, because God’s mercy is greater than
our sin.
Psalm 38:5-8 My
wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am
troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my
loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my
flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the
disquietness of my heart.
Maybe David had contracted a venereal
disease from his prolific sexual life, his foolishness. Whatever the case may
be, he is in dire straits and great pain and anxiety
Psalm 38:9-11 Lord,
all my desire is before You; and my groaning is not
hidden from You. My heart
pants, my strength fails me: as
for the light of my eyes, it also is gone from me. My
lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
David is wrestling with God
for Him to intervene and extend mercy to him. He is discouraged with his
situation whether the cause of it be sickness or persecution. Maybe he is being
slandered and gossiped about because of his sickness. His family sees it as a
judgment from God on his foolishness and are not capable of extending mercy and
compassion.
Psalm 38:12-15 They
also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt
speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. But I,
as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that opens not his
mouth. Thus, I was as a man that hears not,
and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in You,
O Lord, do I hope: You will hear, O
Lord my God.
As David was before his
enemies, as Jesus was before His, Apostle Pater tells us we should be before
our own detractors or persecutors.
1 Peter 2:19-25 “For this
is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering
wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when you be
buffeted for your faults, you shall
take it patiently? but if, when you do
well, and suffer for it, you take it
patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even
hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example, that you should follow his steps: Who did
no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who,
when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not;
but committed himself to him that judges
righteously: Who his own self bare our
sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto
righteousness: by whose stripes you were
healed. For you were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the
Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.”
In those types of situations, Jesus is our only hope and stay.
Since He Himself suffered likewise, He is able and willing to succour those
that seek to Him for help in time of need. “For in that He Himself has suffered
being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted,” Hebrews 2:18.
Succour means to assist and support in times of hardship and distress.
Psalm 38:16-18 For I
said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slips, they
magnify themselves against me. For I am
ready to halt (or fall), and my sorrow is continually before me. For I
will declare my iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.
We often see the weight of sin on the conscience of the believers
in the prayers of David. He wrestles with the guilt he feels as the result of
his wrongdoing. God’s word tells us, “If we confess our sin, He (God) is
faithful to forgive us our sin, and cleanse us form all unrighteousness,” 1
John 1:9. In the Proverbs we read, “He that covers his sin shall not
prosper: but he that confesses and forsakes them shall have mercy,” Proverbs
28:13.
Again, it is the enemy of our soul who tries to condemn us and
convince us that there is no mercy available for what we have done. But there
is mercy, “The Lord, The Lord God (is) merciful
and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy
for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,” Exodus 34:6-7a.
Lamentation 3:22-23 “It is of the Lord’s mercies
that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every
morning: great is His faithfulness.”
Like the song so proclaims: “Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Summer and winter, and
springtime and harvest, Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, Join with
all nature in manifold witness To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace
that endureth, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for
today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine, with ten thousand
beside!
“Great is Thy faithfulness!”
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have
needed Thy hand has provided—“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me! (Thomas
Chisholm 1866–1960)
Psalm 38:19-20 But my enemies are lively, and they are strong: and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They also that render evil for good are my adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is.
Jesus said, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute
you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also,” John 15:20b.
Apostle Paul wrote, “All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution,” 2 Timothy 3:12. Jesus predicted that we would “be hated of
all nations for His name’s sake.” Matthew 24:9b. But He promised, “Blessed
are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute
you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven,” Matthew
5:10-12.
Psalm 38:21-22 Forsake
me not, O Lord: O my
God, be not far from me. Make
haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.
When we are passing through a great spiritual battle or physical
affliction or persecution, we want God’s intercession to come quickly. However,
whether He intercedes quickly or no, He promises to be with us. “When you pass
through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not
overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither
shall the flame kindle upon you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of
Israel, your Savour,” Isaiah 43:2-3a.
“Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus,” Revelation
22:20b.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment