Monday Meditations 04/06/2020

Psalm 6
The Chastened Believer

This psalm may have been composed as a morning psalm. Even if not, it is evident from v.7 that is was composed after a sleepless, tearful night. The psalmist is being opposed by men but he sees in their opposition to him a chastisement of the Lord. He makes no argument against the situation as being unjust or himself as being unjustly treated, so we know that he is aware of the sin for which he is being chastised.

His concern is that God may be judging him in anger. If this is true then there is no hope for his soul. His faith has been proven to be false by his latest iniquity and God has come to the end of dealing with him. This is the concern of every believer, I think, when they have sinned and come under God’s hand of discipline for that sin.

Ps 6:1-10
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

The believer is aware that his sins are an offense to God and in complete need of being judged. He knows that God often chastens His people. His appeal is not that the Lord accept his sins but that the Lord not judge him with the wicked. No one could stand such punishment as his sins actually deserve.

This is the language of a true believer. He vindicates God as just. He fully owns his sin. Yet he pleads for mercy from a heart of faith and true love for God.

2 Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

Ps 6:2
2    Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. (NIV)

The sins of a believer are a source of continual dismay and pain for him. His ongoing weakness concerning sins causes an agony that seems to go to his very bones. David may have been in physical illness here from God’s chastisement, but the removal of the sense of God’s Presence from him has produced an agony which he cannot bear. He must have the mercy of God and the confirmation that his sins are forgiven or he cannot go on.

3 My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?

The believer knows both times of great victory and times of great defeat. In his defeat he knows that he can only rise out of it as the Lord dispenses grace in His Sovereign good pleasure. He seeks to recover but wonders how long the Lord will leave him in his defeat.

We recognize from these words that David’s agony has been going on for some time. We are reminded that God’s discipline often lasts longer than we would like. The challenge for the believer is to remain both faithful and repentant during the protracted discomfort that God has sent.

4 Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake.

These words give us to understand that David has a sense that God has turned away from him. He no longer experiences the close warmth of God’s communion as he once did. He is not the victorious man that he has been in the past.

He understands the purposes of God. He only saves for His own name’s sake. The truly repentant know that there is nothing within him to motivate God to save him, so he appeals to that which does motivate God, His Own mercy.

5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

This is spoken from the standpoint of human observation. The dead in the grave no long have any opportunity to serve God in this world. They can accomplish nothing from there which will bring honor to God on this earth. From the standpoint, David asks the question, ‘what will be accomplished if I die in this state?’ Possibly David is looking beyond his recovery with a hope that he will be restored to a place of ministry, a place in which he can truly help his people to the honor and glory of God.

7 Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

The agony of struggling with sin is the most painful that a human knows. It goes beyond the loss of loved ones and beyond even the thought of death. Repentance is an agonizing, painful, tearful process. It can wear one out physically and emotionally. Sadly, few people engage in this struggle with God because (1) they do not appreciate His glory, (2) they do not seek the utter wickedness of sin, and (3) there is no real and burning desire to be right with Him, to serve Him.

8 Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.

9 The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.
10 Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly. (KJV)

I know of no enemies to personal repentance other than the spirits of Hell. Certainly in many of the Psalms the enemies of David bear a striking resemblance to the spiritual enemies fought by every true believer.

But how does a downcast and defeated saint contend with them from the place of being under the hand of God? Confidence in God, in His mercy and in His revealed truth, expressed aloud and often is the best way to wage war against this enemy. Is this not what Jesus did when confronted by Satan himself? Prayer for the destruction of such enemies is certainly in keeping with the eternal purpose of God.

When the believer finds himself in a place of discipline like this he often has the sense that he is surrounded by enemies, both of the physical and the spiritual kind. Rather than give in to defeat, David stirs himself up against his enemies. He is cast down, yes. He is under the hand of God, to be sure. He is miserable both physically and spiritually. But he is not fodder for Satan’s mill. He is yet a child of God. He refuses to believe that God has abandoned him forever. God will hear his cry, He will restore him. The last laugh is going to be on his enemies, of this he is sure.

So he stirs up his own soul to speak defiantly to his enemies, who are also the enemies of God. They will not prevail because God will not allow him ultimate defeat so long as he lays his hope and his prayers at God’s feet.

Matt 5:3-13
3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (KJV)

This is the ordained and revealed will of God. The saint must not lose hold of his identity as ‘salt.’ He is here to make a difference. He must not lose the determination to do so.

— April 5, 2020