“O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger, or discipline me in your wrath. For your arrows have sunk into me, and your hand has come down on me. There is no soundness in my flesh because of your indignation; there is no health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniquities have gone over my head; they weigh like a burden too heavy for me. But it is for you, O Lord, that I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer. For I pray, “Only do not let them rejoice over me, those who boast against me when my foot slips.” For I am ready to fall, and my pain is ever with me. I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin. Those who are my foes without cause are mighty, and many are those who hate me wrongfully. Those who render me evil for good are my adversaries because I follow after good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, do not be far from me; make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.” Psalm 38:1-4, 15-22

The Psalmists could not see nor understand the most powerful metaphor for sin we have today: the presence of “cancer.” We talk often about how sin can become so insidious within a person or people that it acts like a cancer — eating away at the goodness within. But they surely knew enough of the effects of sin to call it a sickness that robs the body of “health” and “wholesomeness.” They understood that sin, like cancer, gets deep inside us, penetrating even to the bone. They realized that sin spreads, that it’s a silent killer moving often undetected to the farthest reaches of our beings, making itself at home as it consumes its home from the inside out. I am sure they saw the effects of cancer, they may even have seen open wounds that were the results of cancer, they just did not have the word “cancer” — but they had the results.

Today, we are afraid to talk about sin — we find other ways to define it — ways that psycho-analyze our behavior, even explain it away. We see ourselves more as victims than as sinners; as wounded, misunderstood and doing the best we can. We don’t sin; we just make mistakes.

The psalmist makes no excuses — his sins are a burden upon him — his body is failing; his mind is troubled; his spirit is in turmoil. But the psalmist also knows he’s the one who has brought him to this state — he has no one to blame but himself.

This is where we need to remember that the psalms are meant as prayers, not the rantings of hopeless sinners. The psalmist has made his claim, and now has shut his mouth and raised his arms in surrender. There are no excuses — he turns to the only place he can: the mercy of G-d — the goodness of G-d that shines all the brighter when we admit our human frailty and recognize sin as sin. It’s when we face our sin, when we admit that our lives have not been obedient as they should, that our thoughts have not been as righteous as they should, it is then that the light of G-d’s merciful love shines brightest.

PRAYER

Lord our God, you did not forget the pierced body of your Son nor the mockery his love received. Do not abandon us, your children, weighed down with sins, but give us the fullness of your mercy in Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass, and wither like the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of your cause like the noonday. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices. Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil. For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.” Psalm 37:1-11

Sometimes it seems like it doesn’t pay to be good — Amen? When the evil prosper and the good suffer, it can be tempting to rethink everything we have trusted and hoped for — especially if if you’re the one trying to be good. If we are not careful, we can begin to believe it is all for nothing — just not worth it.

Three times in this Psalm we are commanded not to fret (37:1, 7, 8). The Hebrew word means to burn. The verb is in the Hebrew language can be translated as, “Don’t work yourself into a slow burn”. Don’t let it get under your skin; it will only lead you into wrong (37:8). One reason we get irritated when we see evil people prospering is that we are assuming that we know better. We know how all things should go. We know how to be G-d.

It is G-d’s place to run the world — not ours. Our place in this world is to be obedient — and to persevere. G-d wants us to do justice, love kindness and to walk humbly in G-d’s ways (Micah 6:8). There really is no place in our hearts for envy or dejection or for fretting — our hearts should be filled with hope and trust.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, you bless the poor with the kingdom of heaven. Teach us to put our trust in the Father and to seek his kingdom rather than to imitate the powerful or envy the rich; so may we serve you now and forever.

Amen.