November 20, 2021
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in some selections from Psalms and Proverbs? Here’s today’s reading:
Psalms 38-39 (NIV)
A psalm of David. A petition.
1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Your arrows have pierced me,
and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me
Psalms 38-39
Lord do not forsake me. Do not be far from me. My God. Come quickly to help me my lord and savior. Great prayer!! After falling to temptation
38-is a reminder of the misery David experienced as a result of his momentary lapse of his sinful nature. We can live a righteous life but need to be always on guard because Satan knows our weaknesses and that is where he will tempt us!
39-David’s prayers are always so humble. Reminding us how weak we are and hope important it is to have our hope set on God.
In these Psalms David shows the range of emotion that comes from dealing with our sinfulness. I think we all could use more brokenness as we consider our independence from God, to consider more deeply the evil nature of sin and it’s effect on us, on others, and our fellowship with God. After all, godly sorrow does lead to repentance. But in fostering that, we need to realize that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Sin cannot separate us from our relationship with God, nor from God’s love. And that is where Psalm 39 comes in. We need to bring our sinfulness to God and have His perspective on it. We need to seek His righteousness and power, and realize the fleeting nature of our lives and therefore why waste time being out of His will. God is here to help us overcome, both with His discipline and His grace. So rather than letting sin separate us from God, we need to draw closer to Him and find in Him the means for victory, the ways of escape He provides, the greater truth of His kingdom and His way and the recognition that our hope is in Him!
Wow, these Psalms really showed me the humility of David. I can see why God called him “a man after God’s own heart.”
In 38, he is broken, destroyed, by his own sin. We can learn a lot from David in how our sin affects God and our relationship with Him. David recognizes how badly, how very badly he blew it.
In 39, David recognizes his frailty before God and the vanity of man.
And now, Lord, what I wait for?
My hope is in thee.