WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.240 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 00:00:06.700 --> 00:00:10.140 For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. 00:00:10.800 --> 00:00:13.980 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation. 00:00:14.439 --> 00:00:16.940 There is no health in my bones because of my sin. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:19.760 For my iniquities have gone over my head. 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:22.240 Like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 00:00:23.080 --> 00:00:25.800 My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness. 00:00:26.219 --> 00:00:28.359 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate. 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:30.679 All the day I go about mourning. 00:00:31.500 --> 00:00:35.179 For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:37.240 I am feeble and crushed. 00:00:37.879 --> 00:00:39.840 I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 00:00:40.659 --> 00:00:42.920 O Lord, all my longing is before you. 00:00:43.320 --> 00:00:45.079 My sighing is not hidden from you. 00:00:45.739 --> 00:00:48.200 My heart throbs, my strength fails me. 00:00:48.539 --> 00:00:51.500 In the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me. 00:00:52.200 --> 00:00:54.659 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:57.100 and my nearest kin stand far off. 00:00:57.100 --> 00:00:59.920 Those who seek my life lay their snares. 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:02.240 Those who seek my hurt speak of ruin, 00:01:02.820 --> 00:01:05.379 and meditate treachery all day long. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:07.599 But I am like a deaf man. 00:01:07.700 --> 00:01:08.439 I do not hear. 00:01:08.900 --> 00:01:10.980 Like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:13.500 I have become like a man who does not hear, 00:01:14.060 --> 00:01:16.180 and in whose mouth are no rebukes. 00:01:16.859 --> 00:01:19.040 But it is for you, O Lord, do I wait. 00:01:19.460 --> 00:01:21.879 It is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:25.039 For I said, only let them not rejoice over me, 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:27.339 who boast against me when my foot slips. 00:01:28.339 --> 00:01:31.239 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. 00:01:31.659 --> 00:01:32.939 I confess my iniquity. 00:01:33.179 --> 00:01:34.340 I am sorry for my sin. 00:01:34.579 --> 00:01:36.019 But my foes are vigorous. 00:01:36.199 --> 00:01:36.739 They are mighty. 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.060 And many are those who hate me wrongfully. 00:01:39.859 --> 00:01:41.719 Those who render me evil for good 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:43.899 accuse me because I follow after good. 00:01:44.740 --> 00:01:46.240 Do not forsake me, O Lord. 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:48.359 O my God, be not far from me. 00:01:48.960 --> 00:01:51.920 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation. 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:56.760 I think many of us can identify a point in our life 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:58.120 where we might have felt like this, 00:01:58.380 --> 00:02:01.000 where there's just an overwhelming amount of grief and despair. 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:05.120 I know that when I came back to college in my junior year, 00:02:05.580 --> 00:02:07.280 I had a particularly difficult time. 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:10.400 Just a lot of things were going on in my life at that point. 00:02:10.480 --> 00:02:12.400 I had the most responsibilities I'd ever had at college. 00:02:13.260 --> 00:02:15.460 There had been some difficulties in the summer beforehand. 00:02:16.439 --> 00:02:18.200 And I remember sitting down and talking with a good friend 00:02:18.200 --> 00:02:19.080 about a couple weeks in. 00:02:19.260 --> 00:02:20.620 And he just kind of looked at me and said, 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.240 you know, Steve, I think you're depressed right now. 00:02:24.400 --> 00:02:26.500 And those were some of the words that I needed to hear in that moment. 00:02:27.020 --> 00:02:28.480 And I'm really thankful for that moment 00:02:28.480 --> 00:02:29.819 of just being able to process that. 00:02:29.939 --> 00:02:31.099 And the year was difficult still. 00:02:32.420 --> 00:02:34.599 But it was good to have a friend alongside me 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:35.659 expressing that for me. 00:02:36.540 --> 00:02:38.540 And I think that this psalm shows that 00:02:38.540 --> 00:02:41.240 we don't often think as clearly when we're afflicted, 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:43.680 whether it's by our own sins or circumstances 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:44.800 or other people hurting us, 00:02:44.820 --> 00:02:46.500 a lot of things can pile on top of each other. 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:50.080 And I think that often we don't know how to interact with God in those times. 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.700 Do we remain silent because God seems to be silent? 00:02:54.240 --> 00:02:56.219 Do we rage against him in those moments? 00:02:57.000 --> 00:02:59.500 And I think that this psalm is a lesson to us 00:02:59.500 --> 00:03:00.540 when we are in distress, 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:03.180 to pray believing that God is good 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:04.379 even when we are in despair. 00:03:04.379 --> 00:03:09.439 So let's pull back a few points of the despair that David's in 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:12.060 because he's pretty much overwhelmed by everything at this point. 00:03:12.539 --> 00:03:13.519 If you look at verse 4, 00:03:13.759 --> 00:03:15.979 his sins are burdening him. 00:03:16.359 --> 00:03:16.560 He says, 00:03:16.699 --> 00:03:18.240 My iniquities have gone over my head, 00:03:18.740 --> 00:03:20.359 like a heavy burden they are for me. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:23.699 He also seems to have a real illness that's overcoming him. 00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:25.120 He says in verse 5, 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.579 My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness. 00:03:28.520 --> 00:03:29.580 In verse 9, 00:03:29.700 --> 00:03:31.920 he claims that he has depression on him even. 00:03:33.660 --> 00:03:34.220 He says, 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:34.740 Oh Lord, 00:03:34.860 --> 00:03:36.560 all my longing is before you 00:03:36.560 --> 00:03:38.900 and my sighing is not hidden from you. 00:03:39.860 --> 00:03:40.040 You know, 00:03:40.060 --> 00:03:41.600 his friends have abandoned him in this, 00:03:41.700 --> 00:03:43.440 maybe because of the grossness of, 00:03:43.540 --> 00:03:43.700 like, 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:44.820 the physical illness he had. 00:03:45.220 --> 00:03:45.520 And it says, 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:47.620 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague 00:03:47.620 --> 00:03:49.400 and my nearest kin stand far off. 00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:51.840 And he even has enemies coming after him. 00:03:51.920 --> 00:03:52.180 It says, 00:03:52.260 --> 00:03:52.420 you know, 00:03:52.420 --> 00:03:53.120 in verse 12, 00:03:53.220 --> 00:03:55.260 Those who seek my life lay their snares. 00:03:55.939 --> 00:03:57.859 And they're meditating his ruin all day long. 00:03:59.000 --> 00:03:59.620 And so, 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.620 all of this together, 00:04:00.759 --> 00:04:00.919 you know, 00:04:00.979 --> 00:04:01.899 usually in the Psalms, 00:04:01.979 --> 00:04:04.840 David has something declarative to say against these things. 00:04:04.959 --> 00:04:08.139 But it's interesting that in verse 13 of Psalm 38, 00:04:08.239 --> 00:04:08.459 it says, 00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:09.780 This all leaves David stunned. 00:04:10.459 --> 00:04:10.639 You know, 00:04:10.659 --> 00:04:11.579 he's like a deaf man. 00:04:12.019 --> 00:04:12.659 He does not hear. 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:14.500 Like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 00:04:16.379 --> 00:04:16.879 And so, 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:17.079 we're, 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:17.560 at this point, 00:04:17.579 --> 00:04:18.620 we're about halfway through the Psalm. 00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:19.719 And usually, 00:04:19.819 --> 00:04:20.240 at this point, 00:04:20.300 --> 00:04:21.579 is kind of where the Psalm would pivot. 00:04:22.539 --> 00:04:24.180 And it would become more prophetic. 00:04:24.180 --> 00:04:27.759 And David would proclaim the Lord's salvation over the situation. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:30.220 Or maybe we'd get a glimpse into the future of what's going to happen. 00:04:31.019 --> 00:04:34.579 And we kind of hear God's faithfulness in more certain terms of like a resolved situation. 00:04:35.240 --> 00:04:37.780 And there's a few Psalms like this one where that doesn't happen. 00:04:38.180 --> 00:04:41.460 Where it ends with David still crying out for God to help him. 00:04:41.740 --> 00:04:43.420 Not necessarily with a guarantee. 00:04:45.420 --> 00:04:45.920 And so, 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:46.180 really, 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:46.960 there's no, 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:47.899 what I would call, 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:49.840 true resolution in this Psalm. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:53.639 And I think that that's actually really important. 00:04:54.459 --> 00:04:55.019 I sat, 00:04:55.299 --> 00:04:57.699 I did youth ministry at the last church we were part of. 00:04:58.199 --> 00:04:59.359 And a number of kids, 00:05:00.099 --> 00:05:02.539 depression rates are really high among teenagers right now. 00:05:02.859 --> 00:05:06.599 And I remember sitting across from one of the teenagers who was struggling with severe depression. 00:05:07.259 --> 00:05:08.399 And him just saying to me, 00:05:08.479 --> 00:05:08.639 you know, 00:05:08.679 --> 00:05:12.859 I don't feel like there's any part of the Bible for what I'm going through right now. 00:05:13.299 --> 00:05:13.719 I said, 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:13.939 you know, 00:05:13.979 --> 00:05:14.219 I just, 00:05:14.339 --> 00:05:14.479 you know, 00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:15.259 I've grown up in the church. 00:05:15.259 --> 00:05:15.539 And like, 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:16.860 I just don't know any verses that would, 00:05:16.939 --> 00:05:18.159 would help me express this. 00:05:18.719 --> 00:05:19.620 And I think that this, 00:05:19.819 --> 00:05:20.779 we looked at a few Psalms. 00:05:20.839 --> 00:05:22.360 I think this may have been one of them actually. 00:05:22.740 --> 00:05:22.980 And I said, 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:23.139 you know, 00:05:23.139 --> 00:05:27.439 I think that the Psalms and Job are there to express the burdens that you feel right now. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:30.779 Like God has something for you when you're in this kind of situation. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:37.519 And so I think that this is a prayer for those who are sitting in the midst of unanswered prayer. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:38.980 Maybe it's, 00:05:38.980 --> 00:05:39.199 you know, 00:05:39.259 --> 00:05:42.120 you're in the midst of an illness that you may never beat in your life. 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:42.920 Um, 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.699 or you're in month after month of depression or a low point in your life. 00:05:47.100 --> 00:05:47.420 Uh, 00:05:47.420 --> 00:05:47.879 maybe you're, 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:48.120 you know, 00:05:48.139 --> 00:05:51.439 in a new city or you're living in a new circumstance that you weren't expecting. 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:56.840 And I think that this Psalm shows that God doesn't leave his people without a voice in that circumstance. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:05:58.540 He gives them words for this. 00:05:59.220 --> 00:05:59.600 Um, 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:02.759 and the words that he gives come out in verse 15. 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:03.439 Uh, 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:04.120 but for you, 00:06:04.199 --> 00:06:04.639 Oh Lord, 00:06:04.740 --> 00:06:05.639 do I wait? 00:06:06.079 --> 00:06:06.740 It is you, 00:06:06.959 --> 00:06:07.259 Oh Lord, 00:06:07.300 --> 00:06:07.780 my God, 00:06:07.800 --> 00:06:08.680 who will answer. 00:06:09.399 --> 00:06:09.759 Um, 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:12.040 and so this is an astounding sign. 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:12.420 And the faith, 00:06:12.580 --> 00:06:12.920 I think in, 00:06:13.020 --> 00:06:14.180 in the context of this song, 00:06:14.300 --> 00:06:15.840 because if you think about verse one, 00:06:16.280 --> 00:06:16.640 um, 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:18.319 he literally is saying that, 00:06:18.360 --> 00:06:18.500 you know, 00:06:18.540 --> 00:06:21.200 I think that God is inflicting some of these things upon me. 00:06:21.260 --> 00:06:24.840 And even though God is the one afflicting him in some ways, 00:06:24.960 --> 00:06:25.460 um, 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.920 he comes and still praise to God as the source of his goodness. 00:06:29.680 --> 00:06:30.080 Um, 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:34.360 I've thought about it a little bit and I don't know whether we can know from the Psalm, 00:06:34.480 --> 00:06:36.939 whether God was like legitimately punishing David or not. 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.960 It may have just been him being overwhelmed by his circumstances and crying out exactly what he felt. 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:41.519 Uh, 00:06:41.919 --> 00:06:42.359 first, 00:06:42.399 --> 00:06:42.739 as I noted, 00:06:42.739 --> 00:06:47.979 this doesn't really give us a prophetic conclusion of a Psalm of like saying exactly what happened and giving a reflective circumstance. 00:06:48.359 --> 00:06:50.099 So it's possible God was punishing him, 00:06:50.180 --> 00:06:50.779 possible not. 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:51.479 Um, 00:06:51.479 --> 00:06:51.919 and second, 00:06:52.039 --> 00:06:52.239 just, 00:06:52.379 --> 00:06:52.680 uh, 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:53.799 in considering it, 00:06:53.859 --> 00:06:57.079 it rings more to me of the cry of an afflicted righteous man, 00:06:57.199 --> 00:06:58.019 more like Job, 00:06:58.459 --> 00:06:58.679 um, 00:06:58.679 --> 00:07:00.779 someone who cries out just in anguish in that instance. 00:07:01.419 --> 00:07:01.779 Um, 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:03.639 and I think that this is, 00:07:03.779 --> 00:07:06.359 this is an encouragement once again to those who feel lost. 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:07.199 Um, 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:11.180 David really lays out a way to pray when there's a lack of answers surrounding us. 00:07:11.300 --> 00:07:11.780 You know, 00:07:11.819 --> 00:07:13.920 he goes ahead and he repents for his sin. 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:14.600 Even in this, 00:07:14.699 --> 00:07:15.699 in this dire circumstances, 00:07:15.699 --> 00:07:16.480 he says, 00:07:16.520 --> 00:07:17.580 I confess my iniquity. 00:07:17.840 --> 00:07:19.139 I'm sorry for my sin. 00:07:19.139 --> 00:07:19.980 In verse 18, 00:07:20.540 --> 00:07:20.800 uh, 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:25.360 he asked God and to vindicate him from his enemies in the circumstance that even if he, 00:07:25.420 --> 00:07:26.199 I think in verse 16, 00:07:26.220 --> 00:07:26.580 it says, 00:07:26.580 --> 00:07:27.600 um, 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:28.480 when my foot slips, 00:07:28.620 --> 00:07:31.240 don't let my enemies rejoice over me in this instance. 00:07:31.240 --> 00:07:32.280 Um, 00:07:32.340 --> 00:07:33.180 and for all things, 00:07:33.220 --> 00:07:35.980 he asked the Lord not to forsake him in verse 21. 00:07:36.139 --> 00:07:37.000 Do not forsake me. 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:37.379 Oh Lord. 00:07:37.780 --> 00:07:38.500 Oh my God, 00:07:38.660 --> 00:07:39.800 be not far from me. 00:07:39.900 --> 00:07:45.759 And so God becomes the ultimate answer and longing to all the suffering that's going on here. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:46.620 Um, 00:07:46.620 --> 00:07:48.340 he longs still to be with the Lord. 00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:50.139 Um, 00:07:50.340 --> 00:07:52.379 I like a quote from C.S. 00:07:52.460 --> 00:07:52.740 Lewis, 00:07:52.960 --> 00:07:53.240 um, 00:07:53.240 --> 00:07:54.259 from the screw tape letters, 00:07:54.259 --> 00:07:55.439 um, 00:07:55.519 --> 00:07:56.040 where the, 00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:56.340 the, 00:07:56.379 --> 00:08:00.800 the story of the two demons that are talking to one another and kind of conspiring to bring 00:08:00.800 --> 00:08:03.319 down a man who becomes a Christian essentially within the book. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:04.400 Um, 00:08:04.579 --> 00:08:08.100 and the older mentoring demon tells the younger one who's supposed to be afflicting the man, 00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:08.660 uh, 00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:09.120 this. 00:08:09.420 --> 00:08:09.939 He says, 00:08:09.980 --> 00:08:10.160 you know, 00:08:10.199 --> 00:08:10.759 watch out. 00:08:10.960 --> 00:08:15.560 Our cause is never much more in danger than when a human no longer desiring, 00:08:15.680 --> 00:08:17.840 but still intending to do our enemies. 00:08:17.840 --> 00:08:23.019 Will looks round upon a universe from which every trace of him seems to have vanished and 00:08:23.019 --> 00:08:23.540 asks, 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:26.420 why has he been forsaken and yet still obeys? 00:08:27.379 --> 00:08:27.500 Um, 00:08:27.860 --> 00:08:28.980 I think that this Psalm, 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:29.980 uh, 00:08:29.980 --> 00:08:35.879 really tames us in our areas of anxiety and of anger against God and brings us to a 00:08:35.879 --> 00:08:37.779 place of kind of humility, 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:40.440 essentially when we sit under a difficult circumstance, 00:08:40.440 --> 00:08:42.940 I think it really instructs us in how to pray, 00:08:42.940 --> 00:08:43.879 um, 00:08:44.060 --> 00:08:46.080 when we feel lost or abandoned or forsaken. 00:08:46.680 --> 00:08:46.960 Um, 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:49.519 so let's just take that into our time of prayer tonight. 00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:50.519 Thank you. 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:50.879 Thank you. 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:51.519 Thank you.