Daily in the Psalms : Psalm 6 PSALM – CHAPTER SIX This Psalm is a song of sorrow and humiliation over sin as well as a song of joy of salvation. God help us, while we are rejoicing about the fact that we are saved, to realize the awful cost of our salvation and what caused the payment of that cost. On the other hand, let us realize that while our past sins may be vile, we are free from them because of the salvation of the Lord. Many times we may be filled with pride because we are saved and things are going so well for us. It is at those times we need to stop and consider the awfulness of our sin and what God sacrificed as payment for those sins. Then, there may be times when we are physically sick or depressed and we become consumed with our sinful nature. It is at those times when we should rejoice over the grace of God that has been freely bestowed upon us. THE SONG OF DISTRESS O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long? Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks? Psalms 6:1-5 The Psalmist says that his soul is sore vexed, or very troubled. This is always the end result of sin. When we are troubled in our soul, there is only one way to pray, we are to cry out to the Lord for His mercy. It is sin that troubles our soul and those that know the Lord know that sin and the sinner need to be rebuked. God is not a hard or hateful God, but we must know that He hates sin and never condones it, no matter who may be guilty of it. There are troubled people everywhere because of sin; many of them are in the Church. The Psalmist is giving them clear instruction about what to do when their sin troubles their soul - call for and appeal to the mercy of God. We cannot appeal to our own goodness because we have none, we cannot appeal to our good works because they are as filthy rags, all we have to trust in and appeal to is the mercy of God. When we appeal to Him for His mercy, we can be sure that our petition will be heard. What a wonderful thing to know that we have hope and help even in our darkest hour, the mercy and grace of God is readily available to us. After we realize that we have a God that will show us His mercy, we are to quickly call on Him. A consciousness of His presence in our lives always heals the hurts that we may have. This is not a trivial thing or something that we need to take lightly. There are so many today that do not take the presence of the Lord in their lives seriously. They use His Name without care and ask for His deliverance without thought that it comes with His presence. God does not act according to our word or our conditions; He acts according to His Word and His conditions. Deliverance from sin and its results is just that, deliverance. We must confess and forsake sin. The purpose of the mercy of God is to blot out the transgressions. The mercy of God will come to us and give us strength to rid ourselves of the troubling sin. God’s mercy is not given to enable us to live with and in our sin; it is to enable us to live apart from it. Many fail to get the mercy that they request from the Lord. They do not plan to deal with their sin and they don’t expect God to deal with them. The mercy of God allows us some mistakes, that we may learn the Word and ways of God. All around are those that are filled with contempt because of sin in their lives. God wants to replace that contempt with His mercy. That replacement requires confession and repentance. The honest and Scriptural plea to God for His mercy and deliverance will allow us to live in the secret of His presence and that will make us immune to the troubling of sin and the distress of the ungodly. THE SONG OF DESPAIR I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies. Psalms 6:6-7 We have here a picture of the sinner, unforgiven and alone with his sin. Sin will cause you to be absorbed with your own sufferings. There are so many that are weeping bitter tears every night, when they could have the mercy of God. What a shame to live like the lost when that is never God’s plan for His children. Sin will take you out of God’s plan. Sin will take the peace and rest from you and replace it with groaning and tears. That is no way for a child of God to live, yet so many are trapped in that weariness because of sin. Sin may look desirable, but it will quickly weary you and bring you much grief. This phrase “waxeth old” gives us a picture of a sinner without God and without hope. The grace and mercy of God will give us zeal and great expectation, but sin will bring us to the end of our rope, like a worn out old man with nothing to live for. Sin will spend our life, spend our resources, spend our dreams, spend our desires, all beyond recovery. When sin comes into your life and you do not deal with it Scripturally, it will weary you and wear you out and you will sing the song of despair. THE SONG OF DELIVERANCE Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer. Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly. Psalms 6:8-10 Have you ever heard anyone say, “I wish I could turn back the clock?” That is what God wants to do for everyone that calls on Him for mercy. Mercy will turn back the enemy and the works of the enemy. It will restore you to the place of God’s presence. The melody of this song takes a drastic turn here. It changes from distress and despair to joy and deliverance. A new note is heard, the music of peace is now heard where there was panic; confidence has replaced the despair. Why? Because sin has been revealed and dealt with! Most do not like conviction, that is why so many come to a Church, hear real Preaching and leave with a bitter and critical spirit. They reject conviction and they leave with the same song that they came with. Conviction is what can change the tune of the sad song of so many lives. If only we could get the sinner to visit this altar as a result of conviction. The prayer for mercy as a result of conviction will always bring a new song to our lives. The easiest prayer to have answered is the prayer for God’s mercy, yet it is a prayer seldom prayed by the sinner. That is why their song never seems to change. David had called for and received the mercy of God, now he knew that the enemy would be put to shame. When we receive the mercy of God, we also get the assurance that He is on the throne and is in control. The mercy of God causes us to sing, “Our God reigneth!” What a comfort to the troubled soul, to know that God is our refuge. Thank God for the new song we sing because of His mercy: If there is a song of distress or despair on your lips today, change that song to a song of deliverance because of the mercy of God! So Glad To Be So Saved
Danny "Preacher" Bezet
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