SERMON TEXT
“To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.” (Psalm 6:0–10 ESV)
We often feel stuck when we’re in the vise of difficulties in this life. We don’t understand. We cry. We just sit in uncertainty, and we don’t know how to think, how to process, how to move forward. Psalm 6 teaches us that:
When you feel crushed on every side, cry out and surrender to your gracious, loving Savior and Shepherd of your soul.
- The Crushing Nature of Sin and Suffering - How is it that David feels crushed by sin and suffering? How is it that you feel similarily? What does your struggle and suffering tempt you to think about God? Similar to David at all?
- The Liberating Assurance of Mercy - Even amid the languishing struggle he is enduring, David leans into the only one who can free him, deliver him, liberate him through the gift of mercy. How does he do that? What does his prayer indicate he really believes about God? What can you learn from his prayerful example?
Consider reading Lamentations 3. See how the man struggles, and consider what it is he calls to mind to find hope amid his significant trouble.
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APPLICATION
1. Consider Pam's word that echoes the heart of God towards us in our pain:
"I see your pain Dear One. I feel the deep recesses of it with you, for You are Mine ~ You are My Child. What has broken your heart breaks Mine as well. Come sit with Me and let yourself grieve & mourn. Let go of the false idea that I want you to push through it and move on. I don’t want you to push through anything ~ I want to meet you in your place of brokenness & I want to mourn WITH you. Come & let Me cry over you, My Dearly Loved One. Let Me hold you, & allow My tears of sorrow to mingle with your own. Look into My eyes & see My tenderness of heart for you. Watch as My tears of tender love overflow & soak deep into your heart, touching you in your place of loss. I do not sit separate & aloof from your pain. I feel your pain & I meet you in your sorrow. Long have I desired to meet with you here. Please let Me in Dear One."
There is plenty of application there! Take time to take your sorrows to the loving Father.
2. Consider writing your own Psalm of lament to the Lord.
SONGS TO SING