Repentance and Prayers for Mercy

Day 8:  Psalms 6:1-10

            Psalm 6:1 To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath.

            Father, You are my Father because Jesus died for my sins. He shed His blood for me. The sinless Son of God took my place. He died for my guilt, for all the evil of all God’s people for all time when He said on the cross, “It is finished!” (John 19:30).

            You died for us (Romans 5:8). You loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), but in that love, You often must chasten us (Deuteronomy 8:5; Hebrews 12:6).

            But Lord, I ask with King David that Your chastening may not be fierce. Because of some sins, You have taken Your children home (I Corinthians 11:29-30). O Lord, I ask, like David, that You not turn Your anger towards me – even in discipline.

            Psalm 6:2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.

            Lord, we would not seek You unless You helped us seek You (Psalm 51:10). You give us grace – the grace of repentance and faith (Acts 11: 18; II Tim 2: 24 – 26; Eph 2: 8 & 9). Lord, we believe – help our unbelief (Mark 9:24).

            I am weak in myself, O Lord, but I am strong in Christ. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4: 13). You have made the weak strong by Your grace (Hebrews 11:34). You have overcome my sin and unbelief (John 16:33; Romans 12:21; I John 4:4). Open my capacity to love and follow You. Fill me with Your strength and let me give You greater glory.

            Help me, O Lord. Help me to do Your will, to powerfully glorify Your name (Philippians 2:12-13). Heal me from my sin. You have paid the penalty of my sin. You have broken sin’s power, but there is still sin to be dealt with (Gal 5: 16 – 18). 

            Psalm 6:3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD–how long?

            Lord, there are wrestlings at times in my soul, wrestlings due to sin from within (Galatians 5:17) or sin from without (Heb 12: 3). How long must I go through these fires of struggle with myself, with fellow sinners, in a fallen world? Grant that I might faithfully persevere as I trust in You no matter how long that might take (Heb 3: 5 & 6).

            Psalm 6:4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

            I survive for Your mercy’s sake. Lord, come back to me as my deliverer, not as my chastener. Deliver me from me, my sin, and the sins of those around me. Help me not be overcome by evil; rather, let me overcome evil with Your good (Romans 12:21).

            Psalm 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?

            Lord, I cannot write new songs of praise for mankind to hear after I have died. I cannot have a worship service on earth while my body lies in the grave. Help me to serve You, to worship You, to follow You while I am still alive. Help me to work, for the night is coming when no man can work (John 9:4). Preserve me alive to serve You while I have the time and energy to do so.

            Psalm 6:6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.

            Lord, even now there are times when old wounds still hurt me. Father, help me. Father, heal me from the past and any bitterness that remains (Heb 12: 15). Jesus was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Is 53:3). He can sympathize and help with my grief (Heb 4:15).

            Psalm 6:7 My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes.

            O Lord, how long will their sin be hidden? I have not seen You chasten them. They seem to go on blindly with no remorse (See Psalm 73). In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. (Heb 5:7).

            Psalm 6:8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

            Lord, I have been strengthened. I have been enabled to stand by Your grace. You have seen me through many stormy trials. You will deal with Your and my enemies (Ps 37: 10 – 11). Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. ’Tis grace has brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home.

Psalm 6:9 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer.

            O Lord, You have confirmed in my heart the answers to my prayers. You have given me an inner assurance that You are with me. You have blessed me outwardly and inwardly (Psalm 139:3-4).

            Psalm 6:10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

            O Lord, please deal with those who spoke evil of a ruler of God’s people. Even the apostle Paul would not speak evil of a ruler of God’s people though that ruler had sinned against Christ (Acts 23:5). David, though he knew he was going to be king would not raise his hand against the Lord’s anointed (I Samuel 24:6). Deal with their hard-heartedness and sin. Please deliver me from my sin and their sin, in Jesus’ name alone.

Amen.