Psalm 6a

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

:2 “Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my
bones are troubled. NKJV חנן ḥnn to favor; to have/implore/show/be shown compassion †I. חָנַן S2603 TWOT694, 695 GK2858, 2859 vb. shew favour, be gracious… BDB

Devotion:
Have you ever suddenly realized that you were in trouble? That your employer or parent was angry and showing displeasure? The psalmist here grasps that he is not in a position of favor or pleasure with the Lord. As David senses this he cries out in recognition of the fact that he is unable to change his condition and needs the Lord’s help. The basis for this prayer is twofold. The first is God’s mercy, which triumphs over His wrath. The second is David’s condition: “I am weak … my bones are troubled.”
These two points are given also where we as sinners need to come to in order to be saved from the Lord’s displeasure. David requests this on the basis of God’s compassion. As the psalmist demonstrates a recognition of God’s mercy toward him in spite of His displeasure, so God promises to have mercy on people today if we will call out to him as well. Romans 10:13 is very clear when Paul proclaims, “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Challenge: Do you sense that God is displeased for something you have done or said recently? Like the psalmist why not call out to him right now and know His mercy and compassion! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

:5 “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?”
(Grave,שְׁאוֹל, 7585, sheol—Hades or the world of the dead (as if a subterranean retreat), including its accessories and inmates: —grave, hell, pit.)
The statements in this verse can be confusing to those who are believers in Jesus Christ, because HE promises us eternal life. How can death be the end of all things?
This psalm looks at life from man’s perspective, not God’s. That is why David’s lamentation is as poignant as it is. We can feel the pain of the emotion that he is going through. In this scenario, it is easy to lose sight of eternity and view the end of earthly life as the end of all life.
Yet David mentions a place called Sheol in this verse (translated “grave” in this verse in the King James Bible). This is often used in the Old Testament as synonymous with the grave, as it appears to be in this psalm. However, it is also a place where the unbeliever in Yahweh is sent, and is mentioned as a place of sorrow (Psalm 18:5, 116:3) and a place where the wicked are sent at death while being fully conscious of their own state (Psalm 9:17, Isaiah 14:9-17). There they await the resurrection and Jesus’ final judgment of them.
The Bible never mentions a place where one goes after death that is a place where they can leave and go to heaven if only God is appeased enough for their sins in this life. Rather, the Bible is clear that man must choose in this life whether to serve God or to reject HIM, and that there is a judgment coming afterwards based on this decision (Hebrews 9:27). Furthermore, the psalmist points out that once such a person dies, they no longer have the opportunity to give God thanks for all that HE has done for them. Therefore, the opportunity exists is this life to acknowledge God for who HE is and to give HIM thanks for what HE has done in saving us.
How thankful are we for our salvation? Do we allow ourselves to become overcome by sorrow to the point that we cannot keep sight of God and the great things HE has done for us? Thank God today as often as you can for all that HE has done for you!! (Dr. Marc Wooten – board member)

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

David wants to be restored by the LORD verse 1- 3

O LORD – rebuke me not in YOUR anger
neither CHASTEN me in YOUR hot displeasure
have mercy upon me O LORD – for I am weak
O LORD – heal me
for my bones are vexed
My soul is also sore vexed
BUT YOU – O LORD – how long?

David wants rescuing from the LORD verse 4- 5

Return – O LORD – deliver my soul
            oh save me for YOUR mercies’ sake
                        for in death there is no remembrance of YOU
                                    in the grave who shall give YOU thanks?

David wore out because of crying verse 6- 7

I am weary with my groaning
            all the night make I my bed to swim
                        I water my couch with my tears
                                    mine eye is consumed because of grief
                                                it waxes old because of all mine enemies

David believes in answered prayer verse 8- 10

Depart from me – all ye workers of iniquity
for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping
the LORD hath heard my supplication
the LORD will receive my PRAYER
Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed
            let them return and be ashamed suddenly

COMMENTARY:

: 1        O LORD, rebuke me not in YOUR anger, neither chastenme in YOUR hot displeasure.
            (3256 “chasten” [yacar] means to chastise, to instruct, bind, correct, punish, reform, reprove, or teach. Do we ever pray through a problem? Do we sometimes think that the LORD has sent us more than we can take and is not answering our prayers?
Here we find David thinking that the LORD is angry with him over some sin in his life. He seems to be in physical pain, whether because of sickness or just mentally not understanding what the LORD is doing.
David knew that the sin in his life had to be dealt with by the LORD. He knew that he deserved worse than he received but he didn’t want the LORD to keep the correction going. He wanted it to end.
He prayed. He cried. He begged. He knew that the LORD listened to HIS people who were willing to trust in HIM during the hard times of life. He wanted the LORD to deal with those who were giving him a hard time. He wanted the LORD to deal with his enemies.
Too often we want to take revenge on our own. This is not the Biblical way to handle our enemies. We are commanded to pray for them. We don’t like to think of God correcting us for our sins but it is not a correction without reason. Everything the LORD sends our way is “for our good.”
The Bible tells us that whom the LORD loves HE chastens. The Bible informs us to spank our children when they are bad if they will not listen. Can we get them to listen any other way? Yes. Do they always? NO! The same is true with HIS children: US!! Sometimes we listen without the correction but most of the time is seems we listen better after a correction. Is all reprove bad? NO!
We are not being judged for our sins – they are forgiven. However there are consequences here on earth for our sins. The LORD doesn’t let us get away with murder just because we are covered by the blood of Christ. HE allows us to go to jail for our sin but HE doesn’t keep us out of heaven because of it.
We are being corrected for our fellowship with the Father. HE wants us to keep short accounts with HIM. HE doesn’t want us to get to the point that we are living in sin and then HE has to deal harshly with us by using sickness, weakness and sleep (pre-mature death) according to I Corinthians 11.
David just wanted it to end. At the finish of his psalm, he realizes that the LORD hears his prayers and is going to deal with his enemies.
CHALLENGE: How do we face the correction of the LORD in our life? Do we thank HIM for it? Do we pray as David did for it to end? Are we learning from HIS correction? The purpose of the LORD’S corrections is so that we will be more like HIS Son. Maturity is HIS goal. Are we reaching it? )

DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

David prays to the LORD for deliverance verse 1- 7
David tells enemies that the LORD hears his
prayer (supplication, weeping) verse 8, 9

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 1-4, 8, 9

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Enemies verse 7, 10
Workers of iniquity verse 8

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Rebuke verse 1
Chasten verse 1
Mercy verse 2, 4
Deliver verse 4
Thanks verse 5
Answered prayer verse 8, 9

Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)