BETTER OR BITTER?
OBSERVATION: THIS STUDY ADDRESSES KING DAVID’S DEEP DISTRESS OVER HIS LIFE ISSUES. HE USED HYPERBOLIC LANGUAGE TO EXPRESS HIS GRIEF. HYPERBOLE IS A FIGURE OF SPEECH USING EXAGGERATION TO MAKE A POINT.
INTERPRETATION: PSALMS 6:6 (NKJV) I AM WEARY WITH MY GROANING; ALL NIGHT I MAKE MY BED SWIM; I DRENCH MY COUCH WITH MY TEARS.
THOUGHTS TO PONDER:
DAVID’S WORDS EXPRESS GREAT PAIN AND SORROW. THE HYPERBOLIC LANGUAGE SHOUTS OUT! IN HIS DEPRESSED CONDITION, EVEN HIS ENEMIES DID NOT CONSIDER HIM A RISK.
GOD’S DISPLEASURE WITH DAVID, HIS ANGUISH AND DEPRESSION, BROUGHT HIM TO HIS LOWEST POINT. DAVID STRUGGLED WITH HIS CUP OF BITTERNESS!
WHEN YOU GO TO GOD IN PRAYER WITH TRUST AND OBEDIENCE, YOU ARE ON A PATH TO RECOVERY. YOU FIND HIS GRACE SUFFICIENT. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:9 (NKJV) MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR MY STRENGTH IS MADE PERFECT IN WEAKNESS. THEREFORE, MOST GLADLY I WILL RATHER BOAST IN MY INFIRMITIES, THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST MAY REST UPON ME.
PSALMS 69:3 (NKJV) I AM WEARY WITH MY CRYING; MY THROAT IS DRY: MY EYES FAIL WHILE I WAIT FOR MY GOD. THE WORD CRYING HERE SUGGEST WEARINESS IN CONTINUALLY CALLING OUT TO GOD FOR HELP. WITH AN INFLAMED THROAT, DAVID LAMENTED. HE REALIZED GOD WAS HIS ONLY HOPE.
PSALMS 42:3 (NKJV) MY TEARS HAVE BEEN MY FOOD DAY AND NIGHT, WHILE THEY CONTINUALLY SAY TO ME, WHERE IS YOUR GOD? NEVER FORGET THAT SATAN IS YOUR WORSE ADVERSARY. WHERE IS YOUR GOD? HAS HE NOT FORSAKEN YOU? SURELY, HE HAS!
APPLICATION: FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE AND PASTORAL MINISTRY, I’VE LEARNED THAT SICKNESS AND PAIN MAKE US EITHER BETTER OR BITTER, AND THE DIFFERENCE IS FAITH (WARREN WIERSBE).