Psalm, Chapter 38
Prayer of a Suffering Penitent.
A Psalm of David, for a memorial.
38 O Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath,
And chasten me not in Your burning anger.
2 For Your arrows have sunk deep into me,
And Your hand has pressed down on me.
- The title of this chapter is prayer of a suffering penitent
- a penitent is one who repents
- his suffering penitent would be one who is suffering because of their sins and is now at the place where they want to turn from their sin and ask God for forgiveness
o Sometimes our current suffering may be a direct result of our sin
o the correct action would be to become penitent; to repent
o this means that you turn from your sin and go the opposite way
- oh Lord, rebuke me not in Your wrath
o apparently David understands that he deserves rebuke
o but he is asking for some level of mercy because he does not want God to do it in His wrath (this would be very severe)
- and chasing me not in Your burning anger
o apparently David also understood the guide could or may chasten him
o this means to correct him (it implies physical)
o it would be like when a son or daughter knows that he or she is done wrong and dad tells them to go upstairs and wait for him (they know a spanking is likely coming)
- for Your arrows have some deep into me
o this means the pain of God's rebuke and chastening is already being felt
o sometimes we might even punish ourselves because we know we did wrong
- and Your hand is pressed down on me
o the reference to God ham makes it very personal
o to press down means to apply pressure (it is definitely a form of correction)
- are you feeling like God is chasing you or correcting you?
o do you feel like His hand is coming down on you?
o if so, the quicker you repent and truly mean it in your heart, the better!
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