A cry in the dark
The grim realities of aggression, pain, and death often put peace and security out of reach. But what if God himself is our problem? If he is, then he’s also our only hope.
A David psalm.
1 Don’t rebuke me in your anger, YHWH
or punish me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, YHWH
because I’m languishing.
Heal me, YHWH
because even my bones shake with terror.
3 My soul is deeply disturbed
while you, YHWH—how long?
4 Turn back, YHWH—spare my life!
Rescue me for the sake of your unfailing love.
5 No one thinks of you when they’re dead.
Who gives thanks to you in Sheol?
6 I am worn out from all my groaning.
Every night I flood my bed with weeping
my pillow awash with me
on the salt sea of my tears.
7 Grief darkens my vision—
my eyesight fails because of all my enemies.
8 Get away from me, all you evildoers
because YHWH has heard my crying!
9 YHWH has heard my plea for mercy.
YHWH will answer my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be ashamed
and shaken with terror.
They will turn back suddenly in disgrace!
David’s physical pain and mental anguish bleed into each other here. Some view his basic problem as illness, while others believe it’s his enemies’ devastating aggression. In the first case, his illness has rendered him vulnerable to attack. In the second, his illness is stress-related, brought on by enemy aggression.
While David complains about various physical ailments, he concludes by focusing on not his healing, but rather his enemies’ defeat. This could mean his healing is implicit. But it more likely suggests that his ailments are produced by stress caused by his enemies’ hostility, which leaves him angry, anguished, shaken to the core, asking God, “How long will you let this go on?”
This psalm is traditionally classed as a psalm of contrition presumably because David begs God to stop rebuking him. He describes God’s treatment of him, using the same words Psalm 2 uses to describe God’s treatment of his enemies (e.g., rebuke, anger, terrify/terror). On the surface at least, David views his challenges as divine punishment. But biblically, God’s anger isn’t random. It’s always directly related to sin, and David neither confesses sin nor expresses contrition.
This lends weight to a different interpretation by which David accuses God of wrongly giving him the treatment his enemies deserve. He says in effect, “You’ve got the wrong guy, YHWH! I honor and praise you. So why banish me to Sheol, where neither praise nor worship belong?”
However we interpret the psalm, God’s reluctance to answer is David’s real problem. So he calls on God to change course for the sake of his unrelenting love. Then, sensing that God has indeed heard his prayer and will rescue him, he commands his enemies to get lost and boldly declares that YHWH is about to turn the tables on them, making them retreat in terror and disgrace. David thus invites us to resolute faith coupled with outspoken honesty and the boldness to hold God to his word.
Prayer:
Lord, I’m comforted to know that nothing can separate me from your relentless love. But how long will evil aggression ravage? Give me David’s faith, honesty and boldness, to hold you to your promise. May your kingdom come, I pray. Amen.
In your free moments today, pray these words:
Turn back, YHWH—spare my life!
Rescue me for the sake of your unfailing love.
