The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Psalm 6:1-9, “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.
3 And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O LORD– how long?
4 Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness.
5 For there is no mention of You in death; In Sheol who will give You thanks?
6 I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.
7 My eye has wasted away with grief; It has become old because of all my adversaries.
8 Depart from me, all you who do iniquity, For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my supplication, The LORD receives my prayer.”

Most of the Psalms fits neatly into specific categories. Psalm 1, for example, is what we call a didactic or teaching psalm. Psalm 2 is a Messianic psalm because it speaks of the Messiah. Psalms 3 and 4 are supplicational in that they are prayers for God’s specific favors. Psalm 6 is penitential in that the psalmist is beseeching the LORD for forgiveness of sin.

In the first four verses, the psalmist cries out for mercy! His sin is different from that of Psalm 51, in that here he does not reveal what the sin is. I’m sure you’ve experienced the need to cry out for God’s mercy, but were too ashamed to mention your sin. I have had that experience. Sometimes in open public prayer, we even “cover” ourselves through generalized expressions of regret, leaving those who listen without the slightest notion of what sin was intended.

David knows there is no way he can pray after death. He is so ashamed he could literally die! Yet, faith in God is his only way out. Apparently, David’s friends were attempting to comfort him, for he says, “Depart from me, all you who do iniquity…” He obviously views his friends to be as guilty as he; thus, how can their prayers help?

All of this concludes with the LORD hearing and answering David’s supplication. The LORD hears the sincerity of all supplicants and responds accordingly. Rest assured that the LORD hears our prayers! Rest assured that we stand in need of praying! We need to pray for each other and even for those who never pray for us. They may not know it, but God does hear and answer prayer! He just doesn’t answer prayer that is not shared with Him.

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom