“There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.” -Psalm 38:3–4 The Psalmist has been afflicted with a physical malady because of his unconfessed […]
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Rebuke Me Not!
“O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me.” -Psalm 38:1–2 The Hebrew verb יָכַח yākaḥ translated rebuke carries a connotation of equitable anger or deserved judgment. In other words, the Psalmist is confessing his […]
Understanding the Psalms
“A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering. O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones […]
All Shall Be Well
“The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The Lord helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.” -Psalm 37:39–40 The Psalm ends with what one commentator called “calm objectivity.” In other words, […]
Look to the Future
“Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace. But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.” -Psalm 37:37–38 The final four verses are a summary of the entire Psalm and focuses on the end of the matter, a frequent […]
He Passed Away
“I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree. But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.” -Psalm 37:35–36 The Hebrew underlying this passage is a bit awkward but the point is clear. David offers a personal testimony of […]
Wait for the Lord
“The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death. The Lord will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial. Wait for the Lord and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when […]
Heart and Tongue
“The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.” -Psalm 37:30–31 Jesus taught his disciples that we shall know someone by their fruits and that whatever comes out of the mouth is an indicator that reveals the condition […]
A Christian State of Being
“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.” -Psalm 37:27–29 Though the translation softens the […]
As He Said
“Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was […]