Click this link to hear an audio version of the below text narrated by SOTH member Jerry Rhinehart:
Psalm 6 (ESV)
O Lord, Deliver My Life
To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.
6 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. 2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord—how long? 4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5 For in death, there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. 7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The Lord has heard my plea; the Lord accepts my prayer. 10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.
Why is David so sick with grief?
I can feel the anguish in King David’s heart as I read these words. Sickness gave him time to reflect on his sins and he looked upon his affliction as God’s displeasure against him. He was humbled and had a broken and contrite spirit. The aching of his soul made his illness more intolerable. He humbled himself and poured his heart out to You. After he exposed his soul and made his request to You, he was confident in Your grace and mercy and did not doubt that in due time his prayer would be answered. Lord I don’t want to wait for great sickness before I humble my heart. Thank you for Your unfailing love and mercy. Thank you that when I cry out to You for any reason, You accept my prayers. Forgive all of my sins and right my wrongs now so that they don’t weigh down my spirit and put stress and burden on my body to make me sick. Through the blood and righteousness of Christ, I can come to You and plead for pardon, trusting that You are faithful. David’s confidence in Your mercy brought peace to His soul. Lord. Help me to trust in You and experience the peace and comfort that comes from Your Spirit through good and bad times. You are always with me no matter what is going on in my life or around me. I have comfort in Your love, mercy, and hope in eternal salvation. Nothing on earth can take those things away. I look up to You and praise You for loving me so very much. Merciful Father, You hear the prayers of those who weep. I pray for all people who are suffering from illness, despair, grief or any other affliction that they know of Your love for them and that You comfort their soul. Thank you for Your unfailing love and mercy. Let each day be a day of gratitude and joy. Amen