Happy 4th of July! Today we celebrate our independence as a country, but you and I know that as Christians we should be celebrating our full dependence on the Lord each day. Far too often we like to think that we are independent and can navigate a situation or a period of time within our life without the Lord. But, for those of us who are honest enough to admit that we’ve done that, we know all too well that it never works out. When life is really hard and when we’ve sinned or stepped away from God and the path He has for our life, we need to be quick to respond like David does in today’s passage. David goes right to the heart of the matter, and he does not make any excuses or attempts to justify his own innocence. Rather, he humbly comes before the Lord in fervent prayer and seeks the Lord’s forgiveness, compassion, healing, restoration, and love.
Psalm 6 is one of seven penitential psalms. These are psalms that express confession and seek repentance. We do not know the specific incident in David’s life that is ascribed to this psalm, it could be King Saul wanting to assassinate him (1 Samuel 19:1), or his sin with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:9), or the rebellion of his son, Absalom (2 Samuel 15:13). Regardless, the situation is dire enough that David understands that it connects with his physical suffering, and his fear for his own life. Despite a time of fear (v. 6-7), David has faith that God will rescue him and respond to his enemies.
Remember, when life seems too hard, God still loves you beyond measure and He does not want you to helplessly wander anymore. He wants to gently nudge you to grow more and more like Him. So, get on your knees and pour out your heart and soul to the Lord like David did, and then get up and move forward with Jesus in confident assurance of His love and care for your life.
Psalm 6
For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by an eight-stringed instrument.
1 O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your rage.
2 Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak.
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 I am sick at heart.
How long, O Lord, until you restore me?
4 Return, O Lord, and rescue me.
Save me because of your unfailing love.
5 For the dead do not remember you.
Who can praise you from the grave?
6 I am worn out from sobbing.
All night I flood my bed with weeping,
drenching it with my tears.
7 My vision is blurred by grief;
my eyes are worn out because of all my enemies.
8 Go away, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
the Lord will answer my prayer.
10 May all my enemies be disgraced and terrified.
May they suddenly turn back in shame.
Prayer: Lord, we come before You seeking Your forgiveness, Your compassion, Your healing, Your restoration, and Your love. Thank You for being our guide all of the time, and especially during difficult times. Help us, Lord, to be fully dependent on You every second of every day. We ask this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.