CONFESSION IS GOOD MEDICINE FOR THE SOUL Meditations in the Psalms (Psalm 6) Penitence implies a sad and humble realization of and regret for one’s misdeeds. The whole of Psalm 6 is a penitential psalm; Mr. Spurgeon says “Its language well becomes the lips of a penitent.” It conveys sorrow, humiliation, and hatred over sin. Its plea is of one in great distress; as to deservingness, I may not want it but I need chastisement. David felt he needed rebuke, that it must come, if not for condemnation for conviction and sanctification. “I know thy judgments are right, thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me”: “It is good I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes”: “Before I was afflicted I went astray.” David is not asking that the rebuke be withheld but rebuke me not in anger. It is good if we are reminded of our sin. Jeremiah prayed, “Lord, correct me, with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing: Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” There is sweetness in chastisement; it brings with it the joy of assurance; though we shrink from it. When you use the rod, apply it not in the heat of your displeasure lest the rod becomes a sword and I perish in the way. How often should we approach the Holy God on the plea of mercy? EVER: never on the basis of our assumed goodness and greatness, but pleading our sin and nothingness. Come to Him by the publican’s prayer, though I deserve destruction, yet let Your mercy pity my weakness. I am weak, therefore give me strength and crush me not: (He could with one stroke). “A bruised reed shall you not break, and smoking flax shall you not quench.” Make Thy Word good to me, for I am a very weak and bruised reed; there is no fire, but there is a little smoke. Repentance is turning from what has bruised and diseased us (sin) to the Great Healer of our souls. David complains that his very foundation is shaken and needed restoration. That is what sin will do for us; the deeper into it the farther removed from the Rock. Chastisement may sometime begin in the body, but the soul is the center of the target. “Soul trouble is the very soul of trouble.” Afflictions come and linger and we cry, how long, O Lord, must thy righteous judgment remain upon us? How long must we grieve over the apathy of those that profess thy Holy name? How long must we groan with travail of soul over the unborn children of Thy kingdom? How long must we grieve over our young ones as we watch them grow up and out of the church with unaffected hearts? The Lord’s withdrawing Himself was the cause of David’s awful misery, O the blessedness of His nearness! Five times he pleads the name Jehovah for thy mercies sake, not for justice. David was fearful of death, whether the malady was all together physical: spiritual sickness will bring you down to the grave. I am weary with my groaning, not grumbling; believers may groan, but not grumble. Then the blessedness of getting victory over the enemy: and how does this come? Knowing that you have the ear of God: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. David has found peace, and rising from his knees he begins to sweep his house of the wicked. Repentance is a practical thing, it is not enough to bemoan our sin it must be driven from our heart. A pardoned sinner will hate the sin that cost his Savior His blood. ~~Terry Worthan, 1938-2022
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