Psalm 6
How long?
Moments turn into days that lengthen into weeks and months. These seasons, described by the psalmist in this prayer, begins with physical agony and quickly moves into spiritual distress. How long?
The season might begin with an unfounded attack by a friend that the rumor mill quickly circulates until it appears no one cares. Perhaps an illness strikes unexpectedly (aren’t they all unexpected?) and the pain and agony grow daily. How long?
The season may feel as though the enemy is God Himself. Some experiences are confusing. There are times when it is difficult to discern the difference between an adversary, a physical challenge, or a consequence of some unacknowledged sin. How long?
As the psalmist transitions from a sense of physical despair to an ever-increasing awareness of enemies, the writer seeks relief not from the hands of people but from the LORD, whose grace is sufficient, whose healing presence is promised, and whose loyal love (Hebrew: חֶ֫סֶד, hesed) is an expression of His unchanging character. How long?
How long? The ‘when’ is uncertain, but the result is clear. The LORD hears, the LORD accepts (literally ‘takes’) our prayer on the basis of the completed work of Jesus Christ. From physical distress through internal anxiety and fear that threatens to overwhelm us we may ask, How long? The answer, in God’s good time.
WINSTON COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH 