O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath. 2 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. 3 My soul is in anguish. How long, O LORD, how long? 4 Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love. 5 No one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from the grave?

Do you remember the words of Jesus when he said “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and “Blessed are those who mourn”? This Psalm is an illustration of that spirit of complete brokenness and total dependence on God. It is not an accusation toward God for being unkind, unloving or unfair. It is an earnest plea that God discipline (train or teach with restraints) him with love and tenderness. From the rest of the Psalm it seems that he is being pursued by his enemies and perceives this as punishment for his past sins. But he is facing this with confidence that God is merciful.

How long, O LORD, how long? Most of us have asked this question at times in our own lives. It seems that when things go wrong and we are almost over it, that others pile up on us. We seem to reach the point of despair and are ready to give in and quit depending on God. We begin to doubt his love and his kindness because of our afflictions, pain and suffering.

Yet, like Job, we must know that God is a God of love and that hardships on us do not prove that we have been or that we are currently wrong in our behavior or beliefs. (The opposite is also true; when things are going good that does not prove that we are doing right.) But we do know that God is in control of all things. If God is big enough and powerful enough to create the universe and to place us in this time, he is certainly big and powerful enough to watch over us and take care of us for our own good.

As God’s children, this goes one step farther. Since God has given his own unique Son to come to this world, to live as a man and to die for our sin, we can know for sure that he will do anything else that is needed for us and for our good. We serve a God who is compassionate and merciful. We serve a God who is love. Without any doubt, we can find refuge and rest in him.

Dear God of love and compassion, full of mercy and kindness, forgive my wayward heart and my failure to serve you as I should. Help me to open my heart so that your Spirit can do his work in me. May his fruit flourish in my life so that others will see my good works and glorify you. Help me to take the comfort you give me to comfort others who are hurting. Use me as an encouragement to those who are weak and those who are struggling in doubt and fear. Give me wisdom to take advantage of the opportunities to be like you today. Thank you for your love. I pray in Jesus’ name.