“Help Me”
What is the title
of Psalm 38? A Psalm of David, for the
remembrance (memorial offering?)
(Hebrew = za-kar) means to remember – also in
Psalm 70
Maybe a memorial offering?… See Lev.2:2,
24:7
Read Psalm 38:1-2
1
YHWH, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath!2 For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.
2. ITS YHWH doing this to me
**Wait a second, God doesn’t give us more then we can handle, right?
Actually, NO – sometimes HE GIVES us a lot more. Think Elijah 1 kings 19:1-8, Job, Christ. They all had TOO MUCH, but relied entirely on their God to get them through.
Read Psalm 38:3-10
3 There is no soundness in
my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of
my sin.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds stink and
fester because of my foolishness,4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; all the day I go about mourning.
7 For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and crushed I groan because of the tumult of my heart.
9 O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
What is the problem?
1. FLESH is broken: heavy burden, wounds, bowed down, mourning,
burning, feeble & crushed, groaning2. BECAUSE of my sin!! My iniquities, my foolishness, tumult in my heart.
**Notice the connection between “Flesh” & “Spirit”.
Hebrews spoke this way. (Like “Nephesh” – means body/spirit/ all of me, BUT actually not
used in this psalm. Here it’s “Ba-sar” which means flesh/skin)
**Think about this connection between OUR spirits and OUR
physical bodies. When we are physically sick, can that keep us from hearing the word or being fed by God's gifts? Yes. Likewise, when we are spiritually/emotionally troubled, can it show in our phisical body (like eating badly or not taking care of ourselves). Yes. These realms are not as separate as we like to think!
12 Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long.
13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth.
14 I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.
15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.
16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!”
17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me.
18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.
19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good.
What is the problem?
1. Friends 2. BECAUSE I wait for you, confess & I am sorry, I follow good
**It’s NOT FAIR! It’s the Christian Life. We live in a
sinful broken reality where pain and disappointment are REAL .
So we hope for the new (original) reality where there is no sin or brokenness.
WE can't fix this.
Read Psalm 38:21-22
21 Do not forsake me,
YHWH! O my God, be not far from me!22 Make haste to help me, YHWH, my salvation!
What is David’s prayer?
Don’t leave me – HELP me, save me. Save from what? This BODY of death, this reality of MY SIN, This reality of UNJUSTICE.
What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?
Lament (Complaining) about pain & sin & enemies & even friends.
Describe terrible state of sin in our world. (See Job – wow, worst of the worst)
Plead for YHWH’s help (not a 12 step program to fix life)
Understand what Sin really is – DEATH, not something we can conquer.
PLEAD for YHWH’s salvation, (not construct our own salvation)
WE PRAY:
But deliver us from evil.
What does this mean? We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from all manner of evil, of body and soul, property and honor, and at last, when our last hour shall come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself into heaven.
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