David was king in Hebron for seven years. He had many wives and children born to him during this time. When his opposition was taken away he took over Jerusalem as his city. He had many battles with the enemies around him. It was years after he became king that he decided to stay at home instead of going into battle. As I was studying about this Psalm I have come to believe that this happened after David had his affair with Bathsheba.
Who Will the Lord Help? Psalm 38:1-22
A psalm of David, to bring us to the Lord's remembrance.
This Psalm is one of the penitent Psalms. There are six others. We get out word penitentiary from this word. People are put there to think about the evil they have done and that they might feel guilty for what they have done and change their ways. David is quite repentant in this Psalm. We see here what should be a pattern for one who sins. A sin as the Bible states is a disobedience of God’s law.
1. We see how David sinned. Vs. 1-3 He states, “O Lord, don't rebuke me in your anger! Don't discipline me in your rage! Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me. Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.” David was guilty of at least two sins which were adultery and murderer. A lot of people think that their sins are of only a private doing. I can recall a president who was accused of committing adultery and when the proof was displayed denied it at first but then admitted he had sinned. Yet he felt what he did was his own business and he should not have to pay for his sin. He felt he was still able to be president and to my understanding it is OK to hold an office in our country and what you do outside is alright. No one should be punished if he sinned when no one else saw the sin. Num. 32:23 states “But if you will not do so, behold, you have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out.” We have seen modern day examples of this with baseball players saying they did not use drugs. A minister of big church who was caught in sexual sin. Most recently a church in California that filed for bankruptcy when they were 50 million dollars in the red. It matters not who you are the Bible says, “be sure your sin will find you out.”
David found out that even though one is king, sin will still be found. I do not know how much David suffered after he committed his sin but the Bible says that a prophet named Nathan came before the king with a story. When David recognized the wrongness in the story, Nathan proclaimed, “You are the man!”
David cried out, “O Lord, don't rebuke me in your anger! Don't discipline me in your rage! Your arrows have struck deep, and your blows are crushing me. Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.”
2. We see David’s Sufferings. Vs. 4-8 "My guilt overwhelms me; it is a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. I am bent over and racked with pain. My days are filled with grief. A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken. I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.
As we see from vs. 4 the load David was carrying was crushing him. He did not place the blame on someone else. It was his sin that caused his suffering. Many today have gone for medical help for the cure of their sinful problems and will be told they are experiencing a chemical imbalance and if they will but take a drug prescribed and follow counseling they will be just fine. This not the way that God has prescribed for our healing. Guilt cannot be taken care of through drugs or therapy. Guilt crushes us physically and emotionally. David knew this and that is why he is crying out to the Lord. Sin can shorten our lives. David knew he had to pay for his sin. 5 My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins. The Bible is not clear on what disease David was suffering from. His whole body ached, he had wounds that were festering and gave off a bad odor and he had a raging fever. David did not blame anyone else for what he had done. He said my guilt overwhelms me. It is only when we confess I have sinned that we can get help. I read of a story of a Christian that went through a prison trying to help those in there. It seems all he came to blamed someone else for their being there. He found one man who said, “I am guilty and regret what I have done. He was able to help this man. David’s days were filled with grief or we could say he went around mourning. This would mean he also was suffering mentally. He had a raging fire in him which tells me that his body was full of infection and the result was a high temperature. He also was groaning out loud and that no doubt drew the attention of those around him. Satan had tempted David to commit a sin and that he would get away with it. Satan is the father of liars Jesus stated. So when sin is committed not only does the person suffer but those around that person suffer. I spoke with a lady this week who said that alcohol has been the ruin of many people that live on this reservation.
3. We see David’s sadness. Vs.9-14 You know what I long for, Lord; you hear my every sigh. My heart beats wildly, my strength fails, and I am going blind. My loved ones and friends stay away, fearing my disease. Even my own family stands at a distance. Meanwhile, my enemies lay traps for me; they make plans to ruin me. They think up treacherous deeds all day long. But I am deaf to all their threats. I am silent before them as one who cannot speak. I choose to hear nothing, and I make no reply.
Why is it that many are sad when they get caught but not sad for what they have done? David tells of his sadness in three ways;
a. He talks about spiritual sadness. His heart was beating wildly, his strength was weakening and his sight was fading. It is sin that causes us to lose of sense of God’s presence. Without Him our joy fades away. There is no light in our eyes and we walk as thought we have been beat down. Psalm 16:11 “In Your presence is fullness of joy. Bill McCartney told of a time in his life that he knew he needed to change. He said he looked into the eyes of his wife and saw that her joy was gone.
b. His social life is full of sadness. His family and friends stayed clear of him because of his disease. His enemies were seeking are laying traps to ruin him. David had once been admired by hid friends and feared by his enemies but now no one wanted to be near him.
c. It also seems he is in his sadness by himself. He felt all alone as a man who is deaf and dumb. I have found in my walk with the Lord that I need other people to help me keep on the right path. That is what the church is all about. When we expose ourselves to the preaching of God’s Word, attending Sunday School and Bible Study that exposure opens us up to the light of God’s Word. When I decide that I do not need others and avoid the church meetings I fail miserably. About three weeks ago I lifted a pen from a place we had gone to eat at. They had a bunch of pens on the counter where you pay your money and when I saw no one was looking I took the pen. I was convicted as I heard the Word of God in church. I told God I was sorry. The nest time we went back to that place I took the pen and put it back where I had taken it from. How can I face people who are of the faith with a conscious that was guilty? I am so glad that we do not have to live the Christ life as Lone Rangers. Is the Lord speaking to you? If you are skipping church and trying to be mister alone Christian you are going to find yourself being enticed to sin. Without your brothers and sisters to help you will become ashamed at the things you find yourself doing. David was alone on the roof top when he saw the pretty woman taking a bath.
4. we see david’s supplication and prayer to God. Vs. 15-22 “For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God. I prayed, "Don't let my enemies gloat over me or rejoice at my downfall." I am on the verge of collapse, facing constant pain. But I confess my sins; I am deeply sorry for what I have done. My enemies are many; they hate me though I have done nothing against them. They repay me evil for good and oppose me because I stand for the right. Do not abandon me, Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior.” This is powerful that even though David had sinned he knew that God had not deserted him. Our friend might forsake us when we need them most but our God does not!
a. David still had hope. He was waiting for God to answer him. God was his hope. He knew that God would deal with those who were against David. He is almost demanding when he says, “You must manse me.” He did not want his enemies to get the upper hand.
b. David still believed God was his help. He remarked that he was in constant pain. He said I will confess my sins, I will be sorry that I have sinned. Sin can only be gone when we confess them. God knows our hearts. If we hold back on confession He cannot forgive. When we repent we turn from that sin and not do it again. This was serious as I would hope we all are. David could have died in his sickness if he refused to repent.
c. He was quick to make it right with God. David knew that enemies were waiting to destroy him when he was with this sickness. David also knew he had let many other people down with his failing. So David cried out “Come quickly, to help me, O Lord and Savior.”
We would be hopeless if God only helped those who deserved it. What if I we're going to go under a surgeon's knife to redo my face, but I wanted to stay awake during the operation so that I could freely give out my counsel to the surgeon, and tell him to hurry! Hurry! If he was to start hacking and slashing at my urging, what kind of an outcome do you think I'd get. "Well, doctor this isn't what we agreed on! Shouldn't my nose be a little more centered on my face?" God is doing a work in you/me that will last eternity. The process is delicate: it takes time, but the outcome is worth the enduring! When you make a carving of a lion, you chip off everything that doesn't look like a lion! That's what God is doing in His Extreme Makeover of us; He is chipping off everything that doesn't look like His Son! Contributed by: Steve Lotze
