Psalm Meditation 557
Seventh Sunday After Epiphany
February 20, 2011

Psalm 6
1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
3 My soul also is struck with terror, while you, O LORD--how long?
4 Turn, O LORD, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise?
6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes.
8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror; they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.
(NRSV)

When we think of enemies we often think of other people. That is not always the case for the psalmists. They had a much broader definition of enemies. This particular psalmist may have been dealing with the draining effects of an illness or disease. The psalmist begins with the plea that God stop this particular form of discipline. From pleading, the psalmist moves to bargaining with the question, “in Sheol who can give you praise?” After a description of the symptoms the psalmist ends with the assurance that this prayer has been heard and that healing has already begun.

While we have the wonders of medicine available to us we can be reminded of some things in this psalm. No matter the source of the attack, from microbes to international incident, it is a good idea to turn to God for deliverance. Whether we bear some responsibility for the attack or are a random victim of illness, disease or violence we do well to make sure that we are in a positive relationship with God. Do we need to do something differently in the future or do we simply have to get through this with our relationship to God intact?

No matter what the outcome, we do well to know that God has heard our supplications, our questions, our concerns and even our whining. Within our relationship with God we find comfort in the presence of God. Some will hear God speak in words, some will simply know that God is with them. In the relationship, in the presence of God, we will know that we are not alone. Whether we live through this particular onslaught or not we will be comforted by an ongoing relationship with God.

February 14, 2011