In The Word
Read: Psalm 6
Prayer for Mercy in Time of Trouble.
For the music director; with stringed instruments, upon an eight-string lyre. A Psalm of David.
6 Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger,
Nor discipline me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, Lord, for I am frail;
Heal me, Lord, for my bones are horrified.
3 And my soul is greatly horrified;
But You, Lord—how long?
4 Return, Lord, rescue my soul;
Save me because of Your mercy.
5 For there is no mention of You in death;
In Sheol, who will praise You?
6 I am weary with my sighing;
Every night I make my bed swim,
I flood my couch with my tears.
7 My eye has wasted away with grief;
It has grown old because of all my enemies.
8 Leave me, all you who practice injustice,
For the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my pleading,
The Lord receives my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be put to shame and greatly horrified;
They shall turn back, they will suddenly be put to shame.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Have you ever been at a point where you are “pining away” as King David described himself in this Psalm (Psalm 6:2)? The word “pining” is not commonly used in today’s speech, but it carries a very descriptive meaning: “suffering a mental and physical decline, especially because of a broken heart.” Life can bring us to this place of “pining away” because of external attacks or maybe a sin that has been committed. What should you do? Let’s look in scripture at King David’s life to see this answer.
Before David became king, he fled for his life experiencing external attacks through King Saul, who was trying to kill him (1 Samuel 22). In this case, David cried out to God for help (Psalm 57).
King David sinned with Bathsheba by committing adultery, murdering her husband, and then trying to cover it up (2 Samuel 11). When confronted with the sin (2 Samuel 12), he turned back to God with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17).
In both examples, it is through drawing near to God that he received help; drawing near to God shows complete dependence on Him. The good news is that it does not matter what may be the cause for you to feel that you are “pining away.” We learned today from David that when we cry out to God from a broken heart, a heart of humility over sin and out of a heart of desperation for protection and deliverance, then He will answer from Heaven and hear our cry.