September 11, 2023 -- Psalm 38:1-5 -- The Psalm Series: Lamentation and Healing Confession

People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

A PSALM OF DAVID FOR THE MEMORIAL OFFERING.
O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.
There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness.
Psalm 38:1-5 ESV

There is a Dutch proverb that goes Zachte heelmeesters maken stinkende wonden. For those who are not Dutch speakers, an approximate translation is mild physicians lead to putrid wounds. How does that relate to our psalm-reading this morning? Great question.

David is experiencing physical, mental, spiritual and emotional anguish because of the discipline of God. Until this psalm of confession, he had not chosen to go to the Healer for his cleansing. The point is this, the more we try to deal with our sins apart from repenting of them, turning from them and turning to Jesus, the more our sins will fester and weigh us down. This is in fact the mercy of God which is designed to drive us to His healing arms. The worldly advice for such sin-inflected suffering is: just forget it. Or, “God loves you no matter what”. Another killer is: "Time heals all wounds". Those are lies which lead to sin’s infection burrowing ever deeper into one’s life and causing more widespread putrefaction.

This is a psalm for the memorial offering. That sacrifice pointed to the ultimate sacrifice. This psalm is the lamentation of confession to God acknowledging He is not a mild physician, but the Only One Who addresses the root cause of suffering and has the ability to heal at the deepest level of our pain and need. The memorial offering is a sacrifice which points to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Our wounds are healed at the cost of Jesus’ humiliation, suffering and death. At the cross His righteousness is given to all those who confess their sins and their need of Him so that their evils are punished on the person of Jesus. He will never forsake those who cry out to Him for true, deep healing.

Our Father in heaven blessed and honoured, praised and magnified be Your Name now and forevermore. You alone are the Physician Who in Jesus Christ offers healing and cleansing beyond anything this world can offer. Spirit of God, help us to be vulnerable enough to open our hearts and confess our deepest, festering wounds, so that the fullness of Jesus’ healing and redeeming work can be effected in us and in our lives. Faithful God, by the Spirit’s power help us, as the community of Jesus Christ, to lead others to Jesus Christ in Whom all the Father’s healing work is found. Amen.

https://youtu.be/mH3I_6hvLyc?si=iaqriEbtGYwroFj9 “Remember Not, O God”

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