3.22.12 - The Piercing Arrows of God

Psalm 38

    A psalm of David. A petition.

 ¹ LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
   or discipline me in your wrath.
² Your arrows have pierced me,
   and your hand has come down on me.
³ Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
   there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
⁴ My guilt has overwhelmed me
   like a burden too heavy to bear.

 ⁵ My wounds fester and are loathsome
   because of my sinful folly.
⁶ I am bowed down and brought very low;
   all day long I go about mourning.
⁷ My back is filled with searing pain;
   there is no health in my body.
⁸ I am feeble and utterly crushed;
   I groan in anguish of heart.

This passage, according to the Moravian Text, is all we get of this Psalm for today. However, the rest of the Psalm carries the same tone as this passage, so we can safely assess the idea behind this passage without fear of eisegesis (reading a passage out of context to fit a pre-conceived idea). 

David wasn't having a good day when he wrote this passage. He was battling himself, his inner sinfulness, and leaning on God for strength in the midst of it.

What strikes me about this verse is that David sees God's wrath and his sin as two sides of the same coin. There is no wrath without sin to direct it towards, and there is no sin without God's justified reaction to it. David takes the opposite course of action than his first father Adam, who hid from God in shame after his sinful action: he throws himself before God in a flurry of anguish and remorse. David is begging for mercy here. This is not a flippant, "Well, I guess I shouldn't have done that... sorry, God! Now, what am I going to have for lunch?" No no. This is a true understanding of God's sovereignty and ultimate power. 

So often when we sin, we hope it will go unnoticed by God. Avoidance is the easiest course of action, and the one most often trod by Christians. David knows that nothing is hidden from God, and seeks restitution with Him. When David is called a "man after God's own heart," this is what the writer was referring to. David was laid bare before God consistently. He lived his life as an open book to God. Even when he stole Bathsheba from her husband and had him killed, when Nathan called him out on it, he did not hide; he wept and repented. 

I wonder what would happen if, instead of angrily defending ourselves when we mess up, we lived open lives with God. What would that look like? Would ego or pride have any place in that lifestyle? I doubt it. It wouldn't be easy to beg for mercy from God because of your sin and think you're awesome at the same time.

So as you head into this weekend, may your life be as open before God as Davids was. As God shapes you more finely into the image of His Son, let Him into your life and be honest about where you are in life. You will find no condemnation; you will find only love.

Reflection Questions:

1. What was your first reaction to this passage?
2. Why was David begging God for forgiveness?
3. When was the last time you genuinely asked God for forgiveness?
4. What's one way you can live your life more openly with God?
5. Pray together as a family.