Day 13: Psalm 6 - Sad and Hopeful at the Same Time
Take a moment to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Then open your eyes and slowly read and pray today's psalm in the image above.
Reading about God's anger and wrath in the psalms can be confusing. God lovingly disciplines his children (Hebrews 12:4-11), but never cruelly or abusively, and our suffering is not always a form of discipline. As Christians, we know that God's love in Christ means we are secure in his redeeming love. Still, like the psalmist, we can sometimes feel as if we are under God's wrath. Tell God honestly how you feel about this.
The psalmist moves between physical and emotional images of pain (2-7). He floods his bed with weeping (6), yet he remembers that the Lord has heard his cry and accepts his prayer (9). Try talking to God about these mixed feelings without trying to solve the tension.
Slowly pray Psalm 6 again. Tell God whatever is hurting you, whether physical, psychological, relational, or anything else. Open up your whole self to God in your lament.
Reflection Questions
Personal reflection:
What hurts? In what ways is your suffering expressed physically, and in what ways emotionally? Do you find one harder to face than the other?
Community discussion:
Like the psalmist, have you ever been deeply sad yet hopeful at the same time? How does knowing that God hears you (9) bring hope in hard times?