#DailyDevotion When Sin’s Punishments Make Themselves Manifest In Us
Psalm 38 7My loins are all inflamed, and there’s nothing healthy in my body. 8I am numb and badly crushed. I groan because my heart is moaning.
When was the last time you felt this way because of your sins? Probably the last time you really got in trouble for them, so high school? College? Whatever David has done has come down upon him bodily. He feels the effects of his sin not only in his heart but also bodily. Yet this is a good thing for David. Had not these troubles made themselves manifest in David, he might have never repented of them. God will do what it takes to save His children. I pray I don’t have to go through this to realize the enormity of my sins and repent of them.
9O Lord, You know all my longing, and my sighing isn’t hidden from You.
In the midst of these troubles, David has a hope. He knows the LORD knows all of his longing and his sighing isn’t hidden from Him. David’s situation is in front of the LORD. This is good news if we believe the LORD is merciful, kind, shows stead-fast love and is forgiving. The affliction David has been afflicted with has done its work in drawing David away from his sinfulness and brought him before the face of the LORD.
10My heart is throbbing — I’ve lost my strength; even the light of my eyes is gone.
When the LORD reveals His name in Exodus 34:6ff He tells us, “forgiving wrong, rebellion, and sin, without treating it as innocent, but disciplining children and children’s children to the third and fourth generation for the sins of their fathers.” So while the LORD indeed forgives us our sins, He does leave us undisciplined. We may have to suffer temporal punishments to mortify our flesh and serve as a warning for others. David’s suffering here is a warning to us to not be sinful, to not hide our sins, but rather to repent of them quickly and make restitution where we can.
11Those who love me, my friends, stand back at the sight of my disease, and my relatives stand at a distance. 12Those who try to kill me lay snares for me; out to harm me, they talk of my ruin; all day long they think of ways to deceive.
What a sight to behold. The effects of David’s sin make him have some sort of disease. It is such that family and friends who love him don’t want to come near him. They keep their distance. Then those who are no doubt jealous of David’s success try to take advantage of David’s situation. They think this is their chance to get rid of David once and for all. They conspire to make an end of David and his rule. Perhaps these are people who were sympathetic to Saul. Maybe they are in league with his son Absalom. They have adopted the position, it’s best to kick a man when he is down.
Have you experienced this? Are you going through this now? What great harm has sin brought into your life? It is best to confess it before the LORD and receive absolution before it gets worse. It is better to go to those whom we have harmed with our sins, admit our faults and find out how we can repair the damage we have caused. The LORD is faithful and wants to forgive your sins. He has purchased this forgiveness by Jesus Christ shedding His blood on the cross and taking your death into His soul and body.
Heavenly Father, hear us when we cry to You. Have mercy on us though we do not deserve it. Grant us repentance unto eternal life for the sake of Your Son, our LORD Jesus Christ. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.