FRIDAY 15th
Psalm 6 and 7
NIV (6:8) – ‘Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.’
ESV (6:8) – ‘Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.’
We are considering two chapters together today.
I am actually preparing this devotion on the day that we in England were placed into another lockdown as the Government seek to make all the effort possible to quell this pandemic, but of course we know that we too have to make all the effort we can to quell it as well, we all have our part to play, we all need to take responsibility toward our actions and in following the advice given. Sadly, it will probably lead to more people becoming lonely, depressed or a feeling of wanting to give up as so much of our lives are governed through the ongoing restrictions.
In our two chapters today, the Psalmist was going through tough and difficult circumstances. The whole tone of Psalm 6 is of an individual who to use his own words, is languishing, troubled, weary, growing weak, he is also troubled with thoughts of death, (v5) he can’t take things as they are for much longer. But in it all we see that he thankfully knew where to turn, he turns to the LORD, asking that the LORD will heal him, deliver him.
He makes reference to his enemies, in the context of the short chapters it could be literal enemies of people, we know from chapter 3 he was troubled from even family members who had become his enemies, people who opposed him for who he was as the servant of God, but in the context it could also be referring to the enemies of depression, or of fear, or anxiety, or worry, feelings that were eating away at him both mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually, feelings that were bringing him to the lowest ebb he had ever been in regard to life, feelings that tormented him with thoughts that should not be allowed to control our minds. But thankfully he knew where the answer to all these things was to be found, in the LORD God, and he cries out to him, he readily admits how he is feeling, he spills it all out as he supplicates the LORD God, and he comes to the positive answer that the LORD had heard him, the LORD had accepted his prayer and that the tide would be turned, the anxious, depressing thoughts would be replaced with hope and victory.
Many may be feeling like David today, even someone who is reading this devotion, you may be asking the question, ‘How much longer?’ or thinking to yourself, ‘I cannot take much more of this’. Then today can I suggest a couple of things, yes seek help, seek spiritual help and counsel, but more importantly seek help from the LORD God, he is the one who is able to come and to replace all that is presently negatively eating away at you, mentally and emotionally and he can turn your mourning into dancing, he can defeat the enemies of fear, depression and anxiety, he can take your troubled heart and mind and turn them into a heart and mind that are filled with his joy and his peace. In jumping across to chapter 7, we find these words, firstly in verse 10 ‘My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart.’ and then at the end of the chapter verse 17, as the Psalmist is found again in a place of victory. ‘I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.’
There is something powerful about praise, it lifts the spirit, it lifts the soul, it lifts a heart and brings us nearer to God.