A Cry from the Heart
Opening Prayer
Lord God, how very grateful I am that You are always with me and will never leave me (Heb. 13:5).
Read Psalm 38:1-22
[1] A psalm of David. A petition. LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. [2] Your arrows have pierced me, and your hand has come down on me. [3] Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin. [4] My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. [5] My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. [6] I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. [7] My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. [8] I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. [9] All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. [10] My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. [11] My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. [12] Those who want to kill me set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they scheme and lie. [13] I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; [14] I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. [15] LORD, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God. [16] For I said, “Do not let them gloat or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.” [17] For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me. [18] I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. [19] Many have become my enemies without cause; those who hate me without reason are numerous. [20] Those who repay my good with evil lodge accusations against me, though I seek only to do what is good. [21] LORD, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. [22] Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION
Reflect
What is the root cause of the psalmist's suffering?This psalm does not make for easy reading. The psalmist is suffering from acute physical, spiritual and emotional pain (4,5,8) and is feeling isolated from friends and family (11). In times of suffering it is easy to wallow in our own isolation and feelings of injustice. God can seem very far off at these times (21). It can be genuinely hard to lift our eyes, our hearts and our words to him. Scripture helps us with psalms like this. Amidst all the distress and pain, what expressions of faith and hope can be found here? Look again at how the psalmist puts his feelings to God. He knows and trusts that God will help (15,22). He knows his sin is a problem and he is willing to be humble in confession before God (18); and he sticks faithfully to God’s ways (20). We are, rightly, both inspired and challenged by a person’s integrity in the face of suffering and injustice; yet, that doesn’t mean we should never express our problems to God in ways similar to this psalm. The very fact that honest human cries to God are in the Bible means that we can take comfort in doing the same.
Apply
What concern is on your heart today? How will you express it to God? Go ahead and do it now.
Closing prayer
Father God, You know the problems and challenges that weigh on my heart. I trust You to lead me through them.
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