1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
3 My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
4 Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
5 Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
6 I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
7 My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
8 Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame. NIV
Why might David be anxious about the Lord's anger?
What evidence do you see in this chapter that David might be at a breaking point in his life?
How do the first seven verses contrast with the last three? What do you notice about David's resolve of faith?
This psalm does not sugar-coat the intensities of following after God. What does the raw transparency of these verses reveal about the remarkably authentic nature of Scripture? What does it tell you about the genuine nature of having a relationship with God?
::::: Equipping Challenge :::::
Many people struggle to accept that a person of faith could ever talk to God this way. In other words, how could David actually pray these honest feelings if he were being faithful follower of God? What would you say is the answer to that question?
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