Read Psalm 38

In this Psalm David is experiencing sickness, loneliness, and isolation from his own sin. We can learn from this Psalm how David suffered and how we might suffer from our own sins. Though David suffered in spirit, soul and body, the emphasis is on the spirit and soul. David felt like God was angry with him and had become his enemy. Sin does affect our body, but David may be using the following phrases as metaphors for how he felt in spirit and soul: no soundness in my flesh; my wounds stink; filled with a loathsome disease; feeble and sore broken, etc.

God is not a God that lets us sin and get away with it. God does not ignore us nor our sin. God knows that sin leads to death, so He chastises us in ways that lead us off death’s path. We can be thankful for that, though we may not be thankful for the sorrow we are experiencing at the time of trouble and sorrow. Some of what our own sin brings to our lives are anxiety, trouble, groaning, crying, and emotional pain. Socially, it negatively affects our relationships with relatives, friends, those we love, and those who do not even like us.

Repentance: David’s sins led to much sorrow. God used that sorrow to move David to repentance. David quits listening to his enemies and turns to God in repentance. David prayed several times in this psalm. With each prayer David’s faith seems to grow stronger.

·        Psalm 38:17-18 For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.

·        2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

Though we often suffer from our own sins, not all suffering is a result of our own sin. We need to objectively evaluate ourselves. Our pride can be our worst enemy. When we are suffering, our pride will try to interfere with seeing our own sin. We will blame the circumstances or the people around us. David had to close his eyes and ears to all that was going on around him and focus on God. He cried out to God in repentance. God used the circumstances and people in David’s life to bring sorrow that led to David’s repentance.