LESSON:
Genesis 20-22 & Luke 8
SCRIPTURE:
Psalm 6:8
"Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity; For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping."
OBSERVATION:
This psalm is particularly fascinating as someone who studied literature. When David starts, he's in a deep state of despair. For some background, he lusted after Bathsheba and got her pregnant when she was married to Uriah (he also had Uriah killed in battle and made Bathsheba his wife. Heavy stuff). As a result, she gave birth to a baby that was sickly and about to die. So David is pretty reasonably upset so he's praying and asking forgiveness.
This is the first of the "penitential" psalms. This, like Psalm 51 and some others, is a Psalm of seeking forgiveness and begging restoration and was often used after a time of backsliding. It's one that resonates with me deeply, not because it's penitential, but because the tone of it changes sharply 2/3 of the way through. Where in the beginning, David is crying out and desperate, by the end he's resolute saying "Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping." David is resolute; sure in the power of our God. There's no need to weep anymore because he has faith and confidence.
It's a lesson we all should pay attention too. Often, in church, I see people who cry and cry and poor their hearts out and strive for forgiveness for the sinners they are. These same people don't usually show JOY in church. They're so focused on their sin that their psalm never becomes confident and assured and resolute. They never get to the point of understanding grace, because their guilt is overpowering them. They never focus truly on God, because they're too focused on their sin so the joy never comes.
APPLICATION:This is the first of the "penitential" psalms. This, like Psalm 51 and some others, is a Psalm of seeking forgiveness and begging restoration and was often used after a time of backsliding. It's one that resonates with me deeply, not because it's penitential, but because the tone of it changes sharply 2/3 of the way through. Where in the beginning, David is crying out and desperate, by the end he's resolute saying "Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping." David is resolute; sure in the power of our God. There's no need to weep anymore because he has faith and confidence.
It's a lesson we all should pay attention too. Often, in church, I see people who cry and cry and poor their hearts out and strive for forgiveness for the sinners they are. These same people don't usually show JOY in church. They're so focused on their sin that their psalm never becomes confident and assured and resolute. They never get to the point of understanding grace, because their guilt is overpowering them. They never focus truly on God, because they're too focused on their sin so the joy never comes.
Be transparent about your sin and ask for forgiveness. We've all sinned. Jesus came to earth as an infant so he would understand humanness. It's okay. This doesn't mean do it again. The caveat of God's forgiveness is that we actually have to learn from our mistakes. Be sincere in your penitence and be forgiven. And then REJOICE. Rejoice and focus on Him and leave the past in the past. It's a new day and God is great!
PRAYER:
Lord, thank you for everything you are and everything we will be because of you. Thank you for filling my heart with gladness and joy and showing me how wonderful you are. I'm so grateful to know you.
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