Sometime last week I mentioned the beauty of reading the Psalms and how privileged I felt to be reading them out loud. As a human being I could relate to the pain, anguish and the feeling of being forsaken that King David is writing about here. He is crying out for MERCY...he is SOUL SICK and he is throwing himself at the Mercy of his God.

I can relate. I've felt forsaken...I've felt persecuted, alone, hated and hunted by evil...mistrusting everything I have ever known or loved. I brought those feelings on myself. I cannot begin to describe how powerfully I am being impacted by reading the WORD of GOD out loud.

Tonight I was once again reading from the Book of Psalms and Psalm 38 was really the one that jumped right out at me...I couldn't help how connected I felt to the underlying feelings behind the words.

I have explained before in various earlier posts that I often try to steer away from directly quoting too much Scripture or Christian ideology for fear of coming across as desiring to shove it down some one''s throat. I do not but I am curious how others perceive this emotion plea, if anyone else has ever felt this way...

Psalm 38

Do Not Forsake Me, O Lord

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
nor discipline me in your wrath!2 For your arrows have sunk into me,
and your hand has come down on me.

3 There is no soundness in my flesh
because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
because of my sin.4 For my iniquities have gone over my head;
like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

5 My wounds stink and fester
because of my foolishness,6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
all the day I go about mourning.7 For my sides are filled with burning,
and there is no soundness in my flesh.8 I am feeble and crushed;
I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

9 O Lord, all my longing is before you;
my sighing is not hidden from you.10 My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.11 My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
and my nearest kin stand far off.

12 Those who seek my life lay their snares;
those who seek my hurt speak of ruin
and meditate treachery all day long.

13 But I am like a deaf man; I do not hear,
like a mute man who does not open his mouth.14 I have become like a man who does not hear,
and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

15 But for you, O Lord, do I wait;
it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer.16 For I said, "Only let them not rejoice over me,
who boast against me when my foot slips!"

17 For I am ready to fall,
and my pain is ever before me.18 I confess my iniquity;
I am sorry for my sin.19 But my foes are vigorous, they are mighty,
and many are those who hate me wrongfully.20 Those who render me evil for good
accuse me because I follow after good.

21 Do not forsake me, O Lord!
O my God, be not far from me!22 Make haste to help me,
O Lord, my salvation!