Psalm 6 - Guilt
Guilt.
That single word is able to make some flinch.
It brings back a memory of a wrong. It brings back that time when…. It brings back that person you hurt.
Guilt is able to make a person physically sick and mentally ill.
Guilt is powerful. It leads to many, many, sleepless nights and feelings as though God will never forgive you.
Perhaps guilt is best described by David in Psalm 6. This psalm is one of the seven penitential psalms, or “dealing with guilt” psalms. In it he says that guilt has led him to where “his bones are shaking,” he is “groaning,” and his pillow and bed are wet from his tears. All of this is because he fears God because of his guilt.
And to make matters worse, verse 10 leads us to believe that his “enemies” were telling him that God indeed will never forgive him.
So, the writer cries out to God. He cries in verse 4 “Rescue me!”.
It is amazing what happens when we cry out that simple phrase to God. He in His goodness looks down from heaven and says, “I already have. Remember My Son, Jesus?”
Somehow God gave the same kind of comfort to David. Because after David cried all this out to God he was able to end with these words, “The Lord has heard the sound of my weeping. The Lord has heard my plea for help; the Lord accepts my prayer.”
And just like that, David’s guilt was lifted.
And just like that our guilt can be lifted as well when turn to Jesus. Jesus said in Mark 16:16 “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved.” No past. No sins. No guilt.
You and I are part of the “whoever.”
No more feeling we can never be forgiven. No more sleepless nights. No more tears over things we have done. In its place a feeling of love and peace with God.
And that should be enough to lead us to worship.
