One cannot but be moved when reading the passionate and painful words of this Psalm. In the title this song is described – “to bring to remembrance”. David did not want to forget these days of sorrow, like Job he wanted them engraved on the rock with an iron pen containing a diamond point. He also wanted God to remember him, not forgetting to be merciful.

Remembrance is such an important aspect of the life of the Christian. We should never forget the Lord, his goodness and kindness; we ought to remember days of adversity when we cried to God and found our refuge in Him; best of all we have a God who never ceases remembering us. David would never forget these broken hearted days and the grace which sustained him.

1: His Acceptance

O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath:
neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.
For thine arrows stick fast in me,
and thy hand presseth me sore.
There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger;
neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.
For mine iniquities are gone over mine head:
as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.
My wounds stink and are corrupt
because of my foolishness.
I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly;
I go mourning all the day long.
For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease:
and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and sore broken:
I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.

V1-8

David regarded his difficulties as directly caused by God’s chastening. Not all sickness is caused by our sin and when it is we should not regard it as judgement but chastening; a means of improving us:

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Hebrews 12:11

Nevertheless, whatever the reasons for our suffering we must always see the hand of God at work; we are not cast adrift on the winds of time and chance but are under the care of a loving Father. We can also know that we receive nothing less than we deserve as we struggle on, carrying our many personal failings in this wicked world. It is on this basis that David accepts his circumstances with all humility admitting to his own follies and iniquities.

2: His Burden

Lord, all my desire is before thee;
and my groaning is not hid from thee.
My heart panteth, my strength faileth me:
as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.
My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore;
and my kinsmen stand afar off.
They also that seek after my life lay snares for me:
and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things,
and imagine deceits all the day long.
But I, as a deaf man, heard not;
and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.
Thus I was as a man that heareth not,
and in whose mouth are no reproofs.

V9-14

David now breaks into a complaint; describing with some detail his suffering. While this may well have been caused initially by illness or injury we cannot escape the mental torment that he experienced:

Mental depression tells upon the bodily frame; it is enough to create and foster every disease, and is in itself the most painful of all diseases.

CH Spurgeon

The words employed to describe his suffering are insightful. In one moment he was groaning and panting while at another time he was like a deaf and dumb man. Indeed in the previous section (v8) he was feeble at one time, meaning stiff and laid out like a corpse, while at another time he was roaring. Many emotions are tumbling around his heart and mind. His loneliness is acute with his friends and family, even his lovers abandoning him. Yet he knew that his burdens were before the Lord, that He knew and cared, therefore he brought the trouble to Him.

God is interested in our complaints; when others have grown weary and disinterested He never does.

3: His Hope

For in thee, O LORD, do I hope:
thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.
For I said, Hear me, lest otherwise they should rejoice over me:
when my foot slippeth, they magnify themselves against me.
For I am ready to halt,
and my sorrow is continually before me.

V15-17

David could not look to those in his home or in his society to help him; indeed they were ready to capitalise on his weakness. Yet he could hope in God, He could could trust His mercies. In the greatest of our distresses the Lord is ever present.

4: His Confession

For I will declare mine iniquity;
I will be sorry for my sin.

V18

This act of humility ought to be present in all of our prayers. A true relationship with God is impossible without confession. This is especially so when we have knowingly erred and gone astray.

5: His Resolution

But mine enemies are lively, and they are strong:
and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied.
They also that render evil for good are mine adversaries;
because I follow the thing that good is.

V19-20

Despite his fears and failings David had a clear conscience, he had been a pursuer of that which was good whereas his enemies were obsessed with evil. There is no sense that David is about to abandon his godly path. The opposite is the case; he is more resolved to follow after the Lord. Indeed the very reason, it seems, why the ungodly turned against David,multiplying his sorrow, was because they despised David’s God. Perhaps David was intent on dealing with sin in the nation and therefore aroused much by way of enmity. The natural man cannot bear the holiness of God:

“That anger that in remorse should burn against their own sin is set against their reprovers”

William Struther; quoted by CHS, Treasury of David.

Like David, let us be resolved to be consistent in our following after righteousness.

6: His Appeal

Forsake me not, O LORD:
O my God, be not far from me.
Make haste to help me,
O Lord my salvation.

v19-20

His final appeal is wholehearted and positive. It demonstrates that all of the pain and suffering led him into this place of deeper trust. God’s purpose in his life was being perfected! This is triumphant faith, David knows that God will not forsake him!

Faith tried, faith trembling, faith crying, faith grasping, faith conquering

CH Spurgeon