In The Word
Read Psalms 38
Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
38 O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath,
And chasten me not in Your burning anger.
2 For Your arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Your hand has pressed down on me.
3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation;
There is no health in my bones because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities are gone over my head;
As a heavy burden they weigh too much for me.
5 My wounds grow foul and fester
Because of my folly.
6 I am bent over and greatly bowed down;
I go mourning all day long.
7 For my loins are filled with burning,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am benumbed and badly crushed;
I groan because of the agitation of my heart.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart throbs, my strength fails me;
And the light of my eyes, even that has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague;
And my kinsmen stand afar off.
12 Those who seek my life lay snares for me;
And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction,
And they devise treachery all day long.
13 But I, like a deaf man, do not hear;
And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 Yes, I am like a man who does not hear,
And in whose mouth are no arguments.
15 For I hope in You, O Lord;
You will answer, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, “May they not rejoice over me,
Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.”
17 For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I confess my iniquity;
I am full of anxiety because of my sin.
19 But my enemies are vigorous and strong,
And many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 And those who repay evil for good,
They oppose me, because I follow what is good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, do not be far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
This is King David’s supplication to the Lord. He is admitting to God since he was not living in accordance to the Word of God. King David was asking for Yahshua’s forgiveness.
That is the one thing that sets King David apart from all the other heroes of faith. It’s actually why the Lord said David was the man after His own heart. King David admitted to all his faults and repented to the Lord every time He sinned against Him. The Bible says that if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). This tells me that there is no forgiveness or cleansing of our sins without confession, and confession only comes from admitting we are wrong, lost, and in need of Yahshua’s help. In Psalms 38:10-14, David talks about how his ways failed him and that there is nothing he is able to do on his own because he has been forsaken by his very own companions, the people he trusted. The Lord’s hand was so heavy on Him that no one wanted to help Him in His suffering, nobody except God.
Our own sins can make us subject to the Lords wrath and chastisement. We are His children, and He will do anything to drive foolishness from our hearts, even the rod of discipline (Proverbs 22:15).
As you go through your day today ask yourself if you are entertaining any sin in your life. Remember, “There is no forgiveness or cleansing of our sins without confession” (1 John 1:9).