Psalm 6

One way to make the study of the Psalms more meaningful is to re-define the word "enemy" to match the challenges that you face. David was king and had to deal with matters of state. His enemies were most often the warring nations that surrounded him.

I do not have his problems although in this day and age we we have our own problems. I have never prayed for the Lord to destroy my own nation's enemies but I must admit it sounds nice to think we could be rid of them. I do pray often for the hearts of men everywhere to be changed so that they seek peace and understanding instead of war.

I do have personal enemies though. One definition of enemy is "something harmful or destructive". Religious people often label Satan as the enemy and lay the blame for every bad thing at his feet. I personally go by the saying, "I have met the enemy and it is me".

My own personal weaknesses and negative personality traits or habits are those things that give me the greatest frustrations in life. Therefore I identified with this psalm as it says: 

Psalm 6: 2-4

Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me for my bones are vexed. My soul is also sore vexed; but thou, O Lord, how long? Return, O Lord, deliver my soul; oh save me for thy mercies' sake.

Perhaps the greatest battle I have is to maintain faith when problems come. I am a person of action. If something breaks I fix it. I do not like it when a situation arises that I cannot control or do something about.

I don't like to have to sit and wait and wait and wait. I pray and ask the Lord to fix things but He does not take orders from me. I rebel against free agency when others don't do what I want them to do. I fight anger and impatience.

"Wait patiently upon the Lord" it's not my favorite scripture yet this is probably one of the most important lessons I need to learn. Life does not unfold by my timetable. Trusting that it will unfold and that the blessings of the Gospel will be realized if not in this life then in an eternity seems like "never" to me.

This is my battle - the enemy of my soul.

Psalm 6:6

I am weary with my groaning, all the night make I my bed to swim, I water my couch with my tears.

I know those days and nights of tears of grief and frustration. And I also know that the answer to this problem - to conquer this particular enemy - is to develop greater faith and trust in the Lord.

Psalm 6:8

Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.

The psalmist knows that God is real and has heard his prayers.

So often in life our outward conditions cannot be altered. Hurricanes this week reaked havoc in Florida. Last month it was floods in Houston.  Forest fires have destroyed homes all over the west this summer. And 8.2 earthquake hit Mexico. Mudslides wiped out lives in Sierra Leone. North Korea is led by a dangerous man who is developing nuclear weapons. A family member has lost his job. A son has recently divorced. Life is so very hard.

My peace comes when I make the effort to "spend time with the Lord". I have to slow myself down and quiet my mind so that I can have meaningful prayers and scripture study. Writing about what I read helps me to find application to my life. Meditation afterwards allows me to listen to the Lord, to experience His presence for He is always near.

I am not one who can say I know God lives because I have seen great miracles in my life. He has not manifested himself to me in these outward ways.

But He has let me feel His love and His presence in the quiet mornings as I sought to know Him. Like the psalmist I can say "The Lord has heard the voice of my weeping".

My first response to trouble is still the same - fix it! I'm not sure that is wrong. Should we not do all we can?  Does not even the grace of Christ demand that we do our part. But after we have done what we can and realize that we no longer have control, no more power in a given situation then we must "Let go, Let God".

Hymn #85 How Firm a Foundation

Fear not, I am with thee, Oh, be not dismayed

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I'll strengthen thee, help thee and cause thee to stand

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes.

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake

I'll never, no never, I'll never forsake.

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Hymn #110 Cast Thy Burden Upon the Lord

Cast thy burden upon the Lord

And he shall sustain thee.

He never will suffer the righteous to fail,

He is at thy right hand.

Thy Mercy, Lord, is great

And far above the heav'ns.

Let none be made ashamed

That wait upon thee.