Daily reading assignment: Psalm 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, 21
Because we are following a chronological study of the Bible, there will be times when our study of a particular book of the Bible (for instance, we are currently reading 2 Samuel) will take us to other books that fit the timeline. You will notice our daily readings in 2 Samuel will include passages from the Book of Psalms and 1 Chronicles that fit the timeline and setting of our Bible reading.
Today’s devotional reading follows 2 Samuel 1-4 in which David, after he was crowned king of Israel by the tribe of Judah, was confronted by wicked men who were determined he not be king. Facing formidable, wicked adversaries, David’s hope and courage were restored when his heart considered the majesty, sovereignty, and justice of God. Psalms 6, 8-10, 14, 16, 19, and 21 reflect the meditations of David during that time. For the sake of brevity, I limit my commentary to Psalms 6, 9-10.
Psalm 6 – “Been there, Done that”
Psalm 6 carries a wealth of meaning for saints who are mature in years and experienced enough to say, “been there, done that.” Believers often focus on David’s failures and take comfort that even a man after God’s own heart was beset with sins and failures. It is true: David was a man who loved the Lord, but he also carried the consequences of his sins to his grave.
Consider David’s prayer for God’s grace and mercy in the midst of chastening (Psalm 6:1-7).
Rather than respond in anger, we read David pled for God’s mercy (6:2). Rather than bitterness, we see humility. David reasoned, Lord, if I go down to my grave how can I praise you when my tongue has been silenced by death (6:4-5)? His was not the plea that protests injustice; instead, it was the confession of a sinner with a humbled, burdened soul (6:6-7).
Mature saints readily identify with David’s sleepless nights. Many have cried themselves to sleep because of their sinful choices or those made by a loved one. Are you weary? Take heart…God hears your cry in the night.
Perhaps you struggle to identify with David’s plea for mercy in the midst of God’s chastening. Have you felt the sorrow and shame of your sins? Do you fear God’s judgment?
The writer of Hebrews observed, “But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards (meaning, not a sincere believer and child of the LORD), and not sons” (Hebrews 12:8). I invite you, turn from your sin before it is too late and trust Jesus Christ as your Savior.
Romans 10:9 promises, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
Psalm 9 – A Call for Thanksgiving
Psalm 9 is a song of praise and thanksgiving for God’s executing judgment upon the wicked and delivering the righteous.
Psalm 10 – The Pride and Oppressive Ways of The Wicked
Though times have changed, the nature of man has not. Contrary to their rhetoric, the nature of the wicked is, and has always been to oppress the poor and helpless (10:2-3, 7-11).
More than ever in my lifetime, the unveiled demagoguery of the wicked is on full display in the world. There is no shame in promoting every mode of moral depravity.
Consider the twisted rationality of the Coronavirus crisis (COVID-19). While left-leaning politicians demand isolation and “social distancing” under the pretext of saving lives, the same promote abortion as a virtue and an “essential” practice.
Such is the lunacy of the wicked: “Professing themselves to be wise, they [have become] fools” (Romans 1:22). Proud, angry, and vile, they are “without natural affection, implacable (unforgiving), [and] unmerciful” (Romans 1:31).
Of the wicked we read, “God is not in all his thoughts [and] his ways are always grievous” (Psalm 10:4-5). The righteous, however, know the LORD will hear the desire of the “humble” and their cry (Psalms 10:17).
Copyright 2020 – Travis D. Smith