Has anyone been following along with the current SheReadsTruth series for lent … “fasting?” It’s been so very good! If you’re looking for a study to join, participate in, or just follow along … this is definitely one to read!
This week we’ve been asked to share our thoughts on Psalm 38. It’s long — a lot longer than last week’s – but it’s good! Lots of bits of wisdom and insight! I’ll share a few take-aways after the verse below:
A David Psalm
Take a deep breath, God; calm down—
don’t be so hasty with your punishing rod.
Your sharp-pointed arrows of rebuke draw blood;
my backside smarts from your caning.I’ve lost twenty pounds in two months
because of your accusation.
My bones are brittle as dry sticks
because of my sin.
I’m swamped by my bad behavior,
collapsed under gunnysacks of guilt.The cuts in my flesh stink and grow maggots
because I’ve lived so badly.
And now I’m flat on my face
feeling sorry for myself morning to night.
All my insides are on fire,
my body is a wreck.
I’m on my last legs; I’ve had it—
my life is a vomit of groans.Lord, my longings are sitting in plain sight,
my groans an old story to you.
My heart’s about to break;
I’m a burned-out case.
Cataracts blind me to God and good;
old friends avoid me like the plague.
My cousins never visit,
my neighbors stab me in the back.
My competitors blacken my name,
devoutly they pray for my ruin.
But I’m deaf and mute to it all,
ears shut, mouth shut.
I don’t hear a word they say,
don’t speak a word in response.
What I do, God, is wait for you,
wait for my Lord, my God—you will answer!
I wait and pray so they won’t laugh me off,
won’t smugly strut off when I stumble.I’m on the edge of losing it—
the pain in my gut keeps burning.
I’m ready to tell my story of failure,
I’m no longer smug in my sin.
My enemies are alive and in action,
a lynch mob after my neck.
I give out good and get back evil
from God-haters who can’t stand a God-lover.Don’t dump me, God;
my God, don’t stand me up.
Hurry and help me;
I want some wide-open space in my life!
This Psalm title is a psalm to bring to remembrance. Matthew Henry says {paraphrasing}, “This psalm teaches us in times of sickness and affliction to bring to remembrance, in times of sin to bring to remembrance, and in times of adversity to bring to remembrance. Also to use this petition – psalm – when praying for others who may be facing sickness, sin, and/or adversity.”
As I read through this psalm, I can see myself in the way David is crying out … “Take a deep breath, God; calm down—don’t be so hasty.”
And … paraphrasing here – “Ouch! My bumbum hurts from your discipline!”
And then blah, blah, blah … the need to list out all my adversities … as if God doesn’t already know what I’m going through.
“My heart’s about to break;
I’m a burned-out case.”
{can I get a witness?}
And then some more blah, blah, blah with a good dose of whine thrown in!
But then … the promise! The good word! The money we can take to the bank:
“What I do, God, is wait for you,
wait for my Lord, my God—you will answer!”
Then a little more whine –
“I’m on the edge of losing it—
the pain in my gut keeps burning.”
And then a grand finale plea to finish my prayer:
“Don’t dump me, God;
my God, don’t stand me up.
Hurry and help me;
I want some wide-open space in my life!”
Don’t dump me God. Don’t forsake me. Don’t forget about me. Hurry up Lord. I’m here waiting. Help me! I want … need … wide-open space in my life.
I don’t know what God knows about you. But what God knows about me? I can whine with the best of ’em! I mean, surely someone needs to remind Him of what I’m going through. Not to mention that P.S. to hurry up and help me already. Haven’t I endured enough?
And then I remember. The same promise we talked about last week — wait and watch. He WILL answer.
They’re not just words. It’s a promise. It’s God’s promise. No matter how long it takes, one thing we can always, always, always be absolutely sure of? God promises are always right.on.time. HIS time.
He loves us. He hasn’t forsaken us … He promises us He never will. And I believe it. I’m thankful for it. And I rest in it.
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