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Your Problems
How many problems, concerns, and sicknesses are brought about by our sins? David addresses this in Psalm 38.
We will look at selections from this psalm that particularly shine light upon this.
Psalm 38
3 There is no soundness in my flesh
Because of Your anger,
Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.
He states emphatically that there was no soundness in his flesh nor health in his bones because of his sin.
Oh, of course, I realize many things happen simply because we live in a sinful world. The drunk driver careening into us is not our fault.
Nor is the broken arm acquired from a fall out of your apple tree necessarily from something you did sinfully.
Many things aren’t our fault.
Yet, many problems we bring upon ourselves. It is those difficulties that our sins bring to us, that we see David address in Psalm 38 today.
4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
Like a heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
5 My wounds are foul and festering
Because of my foolishness.
6 I am [a]troubled, I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
7 For my loins are full of inflammation,
And there is no soundness in my flesh.
8 I am feeble and severely broken;
I groan because of the turmoil of my heart.
David devoted a good portion of this psalm to the enormity of his sorrow and trouble, due to his sins.
I expect there is not a reader out there who, like me, has not upset their lives due to sin they committed and then revisited mentally over and over.
A Different Scenario
Perhaps, you ran that scenario in different variations through your mind, realizing that the one that was fact could have been handled so much better and more godly. If only we lived that situation out as Jesus would have handled it with love and compassion, or perhaps, with the occasionally needed firmness, how different the outcome.
9 Lord, all my desire is before You;
And my sighing is not hidden from You.
10 My heart pants, my strength fails me;
As for the light of my eyes, it also has gone from me.
11 My loved ones and my friends stand aloof from my plague,
And my relatives stand afar off.
12 Those also who seek my life lay snares for me;
Those who seek my hurt speak of destruction,
And plan deception all the day long.
God Knows
God knows our desires and our sorrows. He sees those who turn from us and those who want to hurt us. God knows all we are facing.
15 For in You, O Lord, I hope;
You will hear, O Lord my God.
David Reminds Us
Here David reminds himself and us today, these thousands of years later, that we can hope in God. God will hear us when we repent and call upon Him.
17 For I am ready to fall,
And my sorrow is continually before me.
18 For I will declare my iniquity;
I will be in anguish over my sin.
Telling God that we are sorry for our sins and will turn from them, wanting to obey God from now on is paramount. God will not forsake the one looking earnestly for Him and seeking forgiveness. God is close to the heart open to Him. Read this beautiful conclusion. David realizes that God alone is his salvation..and ours.
Repent
Like David, we need to realize that our sins bring nothing but trouble and illness to our bodies and minds. We need to confess and turn away from our practice of sinning. We need to repent and ask God for His forgiveness. Like David, may we pray:
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
O my God, be not far from me!
22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation! Psalms 38 NKJ
Repent of your sins.
Turn away from them.
Pray to the Lord for Your Salvation!
Oh, the JOY when we do!