Day #4 (Psalm 5 & 6) – “I am Languishing”

GATHERING

RESPONSIVE CALL 
James 1:26, 3:5–8
If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is worthless. [...] So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. 

How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!

And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind,

but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 

SILENT MEDITATION or MUSICAL MEDITATION:  (listen to this meditation from Psalm 120)
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ASSURANCE
John 17:6, 11b [ESV]
I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. [...] Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

SING: Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father
And to the Son and to the Holy Ghost
As it was in the beginning
Is now and ever shall be world without end
Amen Amen

WORD
Read Psalm 6
2nd Reading: Psalm 5
Be gracious to me for I am languishing, heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.  My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O Lord – how long?  (Ps 6:2-3)

Psalms 5 and 6 are both psalms of David in which we see expressions of unrest and longing desire for God to change his circumstances.  (Going forward, we will focus particularly on Psalm 6.)  This unrest is particularly evident when David describes himself as “languishing” and asks God, “How long?”  Apparently, he is locked in a situation in which he has a really heavy need, but God has not provided an immediate answer.  How do we pray when we don’t see an answer?  Psalm 6 can help us to find words for that sort of prayer.  It is not a prayer that is neat and tidy.  But the prayer invites us to pour the angst of our hearts out to God.  We are not called to be stoics who deny the reality of pain and fear and disappointment.  Instead, David cries in bed every night and is wasting away “because of grief.”

But then, the mood of the psalm changes.  David expresses confidence that God has heard the prayer (v. 8-9) and that he will act.  He has confidence that God will defeat his enemies.  Perhaps those very enemies were the reason for his pronounced anguish and tears (v. 2-7)   It is important to remember, that a very long period time could have transpired during which David did not see an answer to his prayers.  Psalm 6 can help us to pray as we are waiting for an answer.  It reminds us that feelings of deep grief are not abnormal in the Christian life.  But we can bring those emotions to God.  He is able to help.  We may not immediately feel the same confidence that David came to express, but we can be reminded that we are not alone and that God promises to help us in our times of need.   


ABIDING

SING | Psalm 120

• Metrical Psalter [MUSIC]  [demo recording]
• Psalm 120 | O God of Love [MUSIC] [recording]

MEMORIZE | Psalm 120
- Spend time memorizing the words of Psalm 120 as best you can -

SENDING

​LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father in heaven, 
hallowed be your Name, 
your kingdom come, 
your will be done, 
on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread. 
And forgive us our debts, 
as we also have forgiven our debtors

And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. 
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, 
Amen.

COMMISSION
As you go into your calling and vocation, take special care to observe the ways you are tempted to join in words of war from those you live with. ​