Psalms 38:1

 Psalms 38:1 says, A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.  This is identified as a Psalm of David to bring remembrance, then verse one says, O LORD, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.  David asked God to not rebuke Him in wrath nor chasten him in His displeasure.  If we do not want these things to happen to us, we must come to God through faith and live in accordance to His word.  Verse two adds, For thine arrows stick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore.  David seemed to feel that somehow God was rejecting or punishing him.  Just because things are not going well in life does not mean that God has rejected or is punishing us.  Verse three continues, There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin.  David was evidently very sick, and he attributed his sickness to God's punishment because he said he had sin in his bones.  I believe we can be certain, even as Christians, that if we allow sin back in our lives, it will not go without punishment.  Verse four states, For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.  David said his iniquities, or sins, were too great for him to bear, as ours will always be, no matter how great or small they are.  Only when we turn them over to Christ and allow Him to bear them will we find relief.  Verse five adds, My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.  David said his wounds were because of his corruption.  If we are suffering today, we as followers of Christ need to examine our life and see if we have become corrupt in God's eyes because we have allowed sin back into our life.  Verse six declares, I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long.  Verse seven adds, For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.  David continues to speak about his physical ailments which he saw as being caused by his spiritual condition.  Though not all physical ailments are caused by sin in our life, we certainly need to examine our spiritual condition to make sure we are remaining true to God, even if we are physically suffering.  Verse eight adds, I am feeble and sore broken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.  David said he was feeble and broken physically, and that his heart was troubled.  Verse nine continues, Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee.  David said God knew the desire of his heart, and if we reach out to God in faith today, He will always know the desire of our heart.  Verse ten says, My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.  David continues to speak of his weakened condition.   Verse eleven adds, My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore; and my kinsmen stand afar off.  David said his friends and family had deserted him.  Sometimes when we are suffering, it may feel as though everyone has deserted us, but as Christians, we can be certain that God never will.