Psalms 38
Psalms 38:1-22 (NLT)
1 A psalm of David, asking God to remember him. O LORD, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage!
2 Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me.
3 Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.
4 My guilt overwhelms me—it is a burden too heavy to bear.
5 My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins.
6 I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief.
7 A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken.
8 I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.
9 You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh.
10 My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind.
11 My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance.
12 Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps to kill me. Those who wish me harm make plans to ruin me. All day long they plan their treachery.
13 But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak.
14 I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply.
15 For I am waiting for you, O LORD. You must answer for me, O Lord my God.
16 I prayed, “Don’t let my enemies gloat over me or rejoice at my downfall.”
17 I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain.
18 But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done.
19 I have many aggressive enemies; they hate me without reason.
20 They repay me evil for good and oppose me for pursuing good.
21 Do not abandon me, O LORD. Do not stand at a distance, my God.
22 Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.
A door is opened with the choice to stray from faith in God. Sin always has a weight that seems too great to bear, and it puts a lens over the eyes that causes everything to be seen from a perspective of desperation and fear. David has developed this natural response to challenges such as these, however, that is not very natural. He runs directly to the One he knows disapproves of what he’s done and then simply waits for Him to respond as He sees fit. He shuts down all communication with the realm of sin to listen intently only for the voice of the Master. By running to the Source of his salvation instead of away from Him, David has great confidence that even those things he’s guilty of won’t cause him to fall utterly. His passion for God’s nearness completely dismantles sin’s crushing power as he prepares with confession and humble requests for the restoration of God.