Day 226: Psalm 38- The Delight of Discipline

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath! 2 For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. 3 There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation there is no health in my bones
because of my sin. 4 For my iniquities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. 5 My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness,
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;  all the day I go about mourning.

7 For my sides are filled with burning, and there is no soundness in my flesh. 8 I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart. 9 O Lord, all my longing is before you; my sighing is not hidden from you. 10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me, and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me. 11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague, and my nearest kin stand far off. 12 Those who seek my life lay their snares; those who seek my hurt speak of ruin and meditate treachery all day long.
 
13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear, like a mute man who does not open his mouth. 14 I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes. 15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. 16 For I said, “Only let them not rejoice over me,  who boast against me when my foot slips!” 17 For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever before me. 18 I confess my iniquity;  I am sorry for my sin.

19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,  and many are those who hate me wrongfully. 20 Those who render me evil for good accuse me because I follow after good. 21 Do not forsake me, O Lord! O my God, be not far from me! 22 Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!
 
Meditation
I was speaking with a pastor from Iraq about some difficult providence in my life and he asked me what the Lord was trying to teach me through His discipline. Were the challenging circumstances the delightful discipline of the Lord?
 
We live in a fallen world, so not all difficulties are discipline. But God’s grace uses difficulties to discipline His children (Deuteronomy 8:5-6).  “The Lord disciplines those He loves” (Hebrews 12:6). David knew the intimate love of God (21-22). David saw the difficulties of his life as discipline from the Lord.
 
The penitential psalm acknowledges the discipline of the Lord (1-2); understanding the reason for the discipline is sin (3-4). The burden belongs to God alone (5-8) and the lonely consequences belong to David (9-14). The invitation of the penitential psalm is to hope in the Lord and His love (15-22).
 
God disciplines in rebuke for sin (39:11) so that life may be birthed in the believer (Proverbs 10:17). The Lord’s discipline is not punitive- Christ took the penalty for our sin on the cross. The discipline of the Lord is restorative, leading to a harvest of righteousness and peace (Hebrews 12:10-11). The discipline of the Lord comes from His love (Revelation 3:19) and we should not despise the Lord for His discipline (Job 5:17-18).
 
The past few years of my life have been difficult but restorative. My pastor friend was right and I have learned to see the Lord’s discipline as delight and hope in His steadfast love for continued restoration.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Are the difficulties of your life discipline of the Lord? If so, what is He trying to teach you?
 
-How does knowing Christ took the penalty of your sin empower you to welcome the Lord’s discipline? It is not punitive, meaning God is not punishing you. God’s discipline is restorative.
 
-What sins are revealed in your heart through the Lord’s discipline? How can you humbly repent and return to the Lord?
 
Key Verse
18 I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.