A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance. Remember, although this is a very sorrowful Psalm, it was written by a man of God. It will show you what a terrible thing sin must be, for even a child of God feels the smart of it very grievously. This is not the language of an unforgiven sinner; it is the cry of a saint who, for a while, has sinned, and is feeling the bitterness of his transgression.
Psalms 38:1. O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath:
«If thou dost rebuke me, O Lord, do it gently! Be not very angry with me, for I cannot bear it, I shall die under it. O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath.»
Psalms 38:1. Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
«Chasten me, it will do me good; it is needful; it is profitable; but not in thy displeasure, certainly not in thy hot displeasure.» The man of God is more afraid of God's anger than he is of suffering. He does not object to affliction; what he does fear is any degree of the wrath of God in the chastisement.
Psalms 38:2. For thine arrows stick fast in me,
Does God shoot at his own children? Yes, but only that he may kill the sin in them; and he knows how to make his arrows stick, and stick fast, too, in his own dear children. The Lord hates sin with a perfect hatred. Even when sin was laid on Christ, even though it was none of his, yet the Father forsook him. He will not endure sin anywhere; but he hates it most in those whom he loves most: «Thine arrows stick fast in me.»
Psalms 38:2. And thy hand presseth me sore.
As if God's hand pressed heavily upon the soul of David. I remind you again that this was a man of God who thus cried out. If any of you, who are not the children of God, are feeling the heavy hand of the Lord on account of your sin, do not wonder at it. If his own children do not escape the rod, he is not likely to spare you. See into what a terrible condition David came, as he tells us in the third verse.
Psalms 38:3. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger;
He felt as if his very flesh was decaying, rotting, dissolving, and that there was no soundness in it. When God deals with men in a way of anger, they cannot stand against him any more than the wale can resist the heat of the furnace. Beware, I pray you, that you provoke not God's eternal wrath in hell, for even here it is not to be borne; what will it be when mercy's gate is closed? «There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger.»
Psalms 38:3. Neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
His very bones suffered through his sin. He could not rest, he turned over and over in his bed but he could not find a place soft enough to lie upon in peace. Sin will make any man's bones ache when once his conscience is really quickened, and, with David, he will cry, «There is no rest in my bones because of my sin.»
Psalms 38:4. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head:
David was like a man who has sunk seven fathoms deep. Big waves of iniquity rolled over him, and he saw no light, no hope, no way of escape.
Psalms 38:4. As an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
It is a great mercy when sin is a burden; for, when it becomes too heavy for us to bear, Christ will bear it. A man is in an ill case when he finds no burden in sin, when he thinks he is quite able to bear it himself but he, to whom sin is an insupportable, intolerable load, is already on the road to mercy. See how the psalmist goes on to show that his case is worse still.
Psalms 38:5. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.
He got to be so bad that he could not bear himself. His sorrow on account of his folly had made him feel as if he was a corrupt being, like one suffering with a foul cancer, unfitted for the company of his fellows: «My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.» As I read that verse, it brings up memories of my own state of mind before I found the Saviour. Look at the title of the Psalm: «To bring to remembrance.» That is just what it has done with me; perhaps it is doing the same with some of you.
Psalms 38:6. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.
I again remind you that this is a child of God, a man who had enjoyed the light of God's countenance; and yet he was in this sad state. Do not utterly condemn yourselves, do not say that you are not the people of God, because you are troubled in heart; but if you really are not God's people as yet, but only seekers after him, do not wonder if sin greatly grieves and vexes you.
Psalms 38:7-9. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire is before thee;
The first beam of comfort comes in here. «Lord, I am almost at death's door, yet thou knowest my desire; I do not love sin, I wish to be a true believer, I desire to be holy. Lord, all my desire is before thee. Thou canst read it as if it were written in a book. I need not speak, for I should only spoil my case with my words; but all my desire is before thee.»
Psalms 38:9. And my groaning is not hid from thee.
«I can hide my groaning in a measure from my fellow-creatures, I try to suppress my moans when anybody is near; but my groaning is not hid from thee.» Thank God, there is not a tear in any eye but God sees it, nor a groan in any heart but God hears it! Make much of this truth, and find sweet consolation in it.
Psalms 38:10. My heart panteth,
That is the best sort of prayer in all the world, when there are no words, but in silence there is a panting and longing after God. We cannot explain what this panting is; but if you have ever seen a hunted stag panting for breath, you have some idea what David meant when he said, «My heart panteth.»
Psalms 38:10. My strength faileth me:
That is good prayer, too. «When I am weak, then am I strong.» When I cannot pray, I do pray. When my strength fails me, then God's strength comes in to help me.
Psalms 38:10-11. As for the sight of mine eyes, it also is gone from me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.
If you have ever had much trouble, you will find that your friends are rather scarce at such times. Friends are very much like swallows; they twitter about us in the summer, and they build their nests under our eaves; but where are they in the winter? Ah! where are they? You may ask the question, but who can answer it? Sorrow is not a thing which attracts company; men naturally hide themselves from grieving companions. So David says, «My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off»
Psalms 38:12-13. They also that seek after my life lay snares for me: and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things, and imagine deceits all the day long. But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
It is a fine thing, when you are slandered, not to hear it, and it is a better thing never to reply to it. I have always tried to possess one deaf ear and one blind eye, and I believe that the deaf ear is the better ear, and the blind eye by far the more useful of the two. Do not remember the injury that is done to you, try to forget it, and pass it over. Do not go about the world determined to grasp every red-hot iron that any fool holds out before you. Let it alone. It will be for your own good and for God's glory to be very patient under the slander of the wicked.
Psalms 38:14-15. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
So the psalmist, by his example, encourages you to take your troubles to God, and not to handle them yourselves. Spread them before him, and trust in him to deliver you in his own time and way.
Psalms 38:16-21. For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me: when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me. For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong; and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied. They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries; because I follow the thing that good is. Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me.
The persecuted psalmist resorts to his God; let us do the same when we also are persecuted for righteousness' sake.
Psalms 38:22. Make haste to help me, O lord my salvation.
David's case is urgent, and his plea is earnest. If we are in a like case, let us also cry, «Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.»