"Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint; heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. My soul is in deep anguish. How long, Lord, how long? Turn, Lord, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love."

Psalm 6:1-4

David has experienced the Lord’s anger against him. When he sinned against Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite, he became aware of the Lord’s anger—not only through Nathan’s prophetic rebuke but also through his experience of wasting away physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It was only when he confessed his sin that the burden of God’s anger was removed and David experienced the relief and joy of a contrite heart reconciled to God.

David is experiencing God’s anger differently here, however. God’s anger with the world and with the unrighteous has an impact on those who are trying to walk with him. We can experience this as spiritual groaning against sin and the darkness in the world; we can be directly or indirectly affected by others’ sinful behavior (as David describes here); we can see our loved ones suffer at the hands of others. As with David, it impacts our walk with God, our ability to pray and praise and offer our lives in worship.

What do we do when we are affected by sin and suffering in these ways? David teaches us to turn to God, to lament, to speak out against evil, to intercede in prayer. He also teaches us to confess our faith in God when we feel poor in spirit, to trust in God’s steadfast love, and to continue to worship.

Closing Prayer

Lord, help me to know your mercy and, in turn, show your mercy and grace to all—friend and foe. Help me, that my walk with you will continue to be one of steadfast devotion, gratitude, and praise, a testimony to those around me (edited from Encounter with God).