Psalms for Psome – Ps 6 – Considering the Bible

My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

In our prayers as believers, we have been given many wonderful promises, promises such as

Hebrews 4:16
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The throne of grace, where mercy flows, and help is available. What a fantastic promise to depend on, to believe. This privilege of the believer is a precious truth, one that, I can safely safe many of us do not appreciate fully.

This is a truth that we have constantly, and that as we reach out to the Father is humility and with confession, we can believe we have brought our petitions before Him and that we will receive mercy and help.

This psalm is the first of seven penitential psalms David authored. David was in deep despair and trouble in Psalm 6. He is physically sick and spiritually troubled. He is pleading with God to turn, yet this is a displeasure he has brought upon himself. His sin before God brought this distance and the pain and fear he is experiencing is a grace that God provides to get his attention.

Brother/sister, are you struggling with doubt or despair?

Two thoughts come to mind. The first is the simple decision of the Lord to simply allow us to have a barrenness in our lives, a time of dryness and quietness from the Lord that seems unexplainable. I will confess this has been my experience in the past, and has caused me to search the Word and my relation with Him.

The second, which sadly is the more common for myself at least, is the experience of bring the doubt and despair upon myself. My hardness of heart in listening to the voice of God has caused me to commit sin again Him, either in attitude or actions. I fear we all fall at times in our walk with Him. Have you knowledge of sin against God in your life? This doubt and despair may be a gracious act of God, seeking to get your attention.

David committed sin against the Lord and was in the depths of despair and anguish. He speaks of his end being in Sheol, of his death. His experience is that of life and death. He weeps and wails, seeking relief. In the midst of his grief, David writes the following

Psalm 6:8-9
Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer.

Did the weeping and wailing “pay” for his sins, satisfy the Lord and force the Father’s hand in forgiving His child? Some may think this way, but I speculate those who think thus may not have experienced a child’s tears of sorrow.

When one of my children approached me in humble contrition for a wrong they committed against my self, their mother, or worse yet, against themselves, all I could think of are ways to find resolution and to restore what was lost.

Granted, I am a sinner with little wisdom, but I recognize that Jesus often used our experiences to compare and demonstrate the Fathers love for His children. (Take a few moments to consider how often He used our parental experiences as a basis to explain the Father’s greater love for His children.)

David prayed to the Lord, he approached the throne of grace in humility and contrition. He boldly states “The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer” This is the experience of Hebrews 4.

May we experience that confidence as we seek His pleasure.