"But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. " — Ps. 38:13-15
The context will show the writer, burdened within by the consciousness of his sin, and without by the unjustified opposition of his enemies; yet, as our text reveals, he turns not to self defense nor to retaliation, but to God, exemplifying how a believer should behave himself before God and the watching world.
As to our sins, there are only two alternatives; either to confess them, or to attempt to cover them up. But, attempting to cover them (be they little or large, be they many or few) is an exercise in futility, because nothing is hid from "the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Heb. 4:13)." From God there is no place to hide. And to confess our sins to anyone else is to address the issue to those who are utterly incapable of dealing effectively with them. As an acquaintance of mine used to say, "He who would flee from God must flee to Him." Again, there is a divine principle which reads, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy[Prov. 28:13]." Wise beyond words is the man who, confronted with his sins, takes them directly to God, for "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [I John 1:9]."
As for attempting to rail or retaliate against our adversaries (real or imagined,) to do so is to violate the principles of God's word. Our issue is never with the opposing individual, but with the alien spirit behind him, against whom we have in ourselves no adequate power. The psalmist here sets an example for the New Testament believer who is instructed by the Savior Himself, "… Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you… That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven [Matt. 4:44]."
Subsequently the Holy Spirit's teaching for the New Testament believer includes, "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously [I Pet. 2:19-23]."
Again the Holy Spirit instructs us, with special reference to the body of Christ, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil [I Pet. 3:8-12]."
How different would history be, and church history in particular, if believers heeded this divine instruction. There are wars that would never have been fought, churches that would never have been splintered, relationships that would never have been broken, had Christians learned how to practice this pattern of behavior. Someone has said, with tragic humor, we have not only failed to love our enemies; many of us have never learned to love our friends!"
Illustrated in this Psalm, enjoined upon us in the New Testament, we must learn to carry our sins and our sorrows to God Who alone can deal with them in the right way and at the right time. To do otherwise is to do "evil" (cf. I Pet. 3:12!), to corrupt the testimony of Jesus Christ and to grieve the Holy Spirit.
For the praise of the Savior,
"Pastor" Frasier
The context will show the writer, burdened within by the consciousness of his sin, and without by the unjustified opposition of his enemies; yet, as our text reveals, he turns not to self defense nor to retaliation, but to God, exemplifying how a believer should behave himself before God and the watching world.
As to our sins, there are only two alternatives; either to confess them, or to attempt to cover them up. But, attempting to cover them (be they little or large, be they many or few) is an exercise in futility, because nothing is hid from "the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Heb. 4:13)." From God there is no place to hide. And to confess our sins to anyone else is to address the issue to those who are utterly incapable of dealing effectively with them. As an acquaintance of mine used to say, "He who would flee from God must flee to Him." Again, there is a divine principle which reads, "He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy[Prov. 28:13]." Wise beyond words is the man who, confronted with his sins, takes them directly to God, for "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [I John 1:9]."
As for attempting to rail or retaliate against our adversaries (real or imagined,) to do so is to violate the principles of God's word. Our issue is never with the opposing individual, but with the alien spirit behind him, against whom we have in ourselves no adequate power. The psalmist here sets an example for the New Testament believer who is instructed by the Savior Himself, "… Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you… That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven [Matt. 4:44]."
Subsequently the Holy Spirit's teaching for the New Testament believer includes, "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously [I Pet. 2:19-23]."
Again the Holy Spirit instructs us, with special reference to the body of Christ, "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil [I Pet. 3:8-12]."
How different would history be, and church history in particular, if believers heeded this divine instruction. There are wars that would never have been fought, churches that would never have been splintered, relationships that would never have been broken, had Christians learned how to practice this pattern of behavior. Someone has said, with tragic humor, we have not only failed to love our enemies; many of us have never learned to love our friends!"
Illustrated in this Psalm, enjoined upon us in the New Testament, we must learn to carry our sins and our sorrows to God Who alone can deal with them in the right way and at the right time. To do otherwise is to do "evil" (cf. I Pet. 3:12!), to corrupt the testimony of Jesus Christ and to grieve the Holy Spirit.
For the praise of the Savior,
"Pastor" Frasier
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