The Bible's Song Book - Lesson 9

The Bible’s Song Book

A Study of the Psalms

Pastor Robert Soverall

Lesson 9: Psalm 38

Have you ever felt alone and weighed down by your own sin?

When it’s “me against the world” it’s easy to put my back against the wall, call on the LORD and be ready to fight!! But when the enemy is me...when I’m fighting myself or when I’m frustrated with myself, that’s a burden that is difficult to bear. When you are your own worst enemy, and you recognize that fact?? Whoa...

This is where David is in this psalm. He’s not running from Saul or hiding from Absolom. The struggle we see here is David’s struggle with himself. He even talks about how people stand back and watch; it’s hard for people to enter this battle with you.

How did he get there? Like all of us: when he took a good look at his own sin. None of us are without some scar, some blot, some stain. And it’s offensive. Remember how distressed you feel when you’re almost finished getting dressed and you discover a stain on your clothes? That’s what David sees...and GOD sees it too!

Where’s the remedy? The detergent? The nearest dry cleaner or laundromat? Look in the same direction David is looking—up! He cries out to GOD in desperation for help. Already dealing with his own guilt he cries out to GOD, “Don’t discipline me in your wrath...” (vs.1) David is not trying to avoid GOD’s discipline, but GOD’s wrath which involves separation from the LORD. Yes, we can take GOD’s discipline as long as we know that afterwards comes His loving and abiding presence. This is what David craved and this is what we need!

I encourage you today; call on GOD. Put out an urgent request: “Come quickly to help me, my Lord and my Savior (vs. 22 NIV)”. The community of faith cannot help you with this; the community of the world will not help you with this. Go to GOD by yourself, for yourself! He will heal, comfort, restore and strengthen you! And we’ll all be better for it.

Think about it: have you allowed yourself to come face to face with your own sin?

Extend your faith—we’ve all messed up. Let’s believe that GOD is bigger than any mess we’ve created and is able and willing to restore us!!

Pray: Dear GOD—I have sinned; forgive me, cleanse me, restore me; “don’t let people rejoice over me when I stumble”, but let my brothers and sisters be encouraged to seek their own restoration when they see what YOU do for me..!