When suffering seems long

Psalm 6 was written by David, but it could’ve just as easily been written by Job for all the sentiments it expresses.

Like Job, David seemed to be suffering from some kind of physical illness and apparently, there was no end in sight.

Further, while it seemed that God was bringing discipline into his life, there seemed to be no reason for it that he could see. (David never does confess any sin in this psalm).

And if that weren’t enough, his enemies were using the opportunity of his suffering to attack him.

Despite his suffering, however, David never does question God’s justice as Job did.  He recognized that God really owed him nothing, that in fact, what he deserved was God’s wrath.

And so he makes his plea for deliverance not based on his own righteousness, but on God’s mercy and unfailing love.  He cried out,

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

My soul is in anguish.  How long, O LORD, how long?

Turn, O LORD, and deliver me; save me because of your unfailing love.  (Psalm 6:2-4)

And in the midst of his prayer, he finds God’s reassurance.  He writes,

Away from me, all you who do evil, for the LORD has heard my weeping.  The LORD has heard my cry for mercy; the LORD accepts my prayer.

All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed; they will turn back in sudden disgrace. (8-10)

I remember hearing a Christian comedian, Mark Lowry, talking about his favorite verse.  It was, “And it came to pass…”

Interpretation:  “Our sufferings aren’t here to stay, they will pass.”

Obviously this is not great Biblical interpretation, but it is true.  When we cry out to him, God in his mercy will hear.  And all our pain, all our sufferings, they will pass.

Lowry sings his own “psalm” saying,

There’s a place inside
Full of tears I hide
That I’ve only cried alone.

But I know that He’s near,
And I know He hears,
And I know these tears won’t last.

This pain today
Will be swept away because
This too shall pass.

As night turns into morning,
We will see the truth at last,
That troubles come to everyone
But they only come to pass.

This too shall pass.
This too shall pass.

And the tears that fall like raindrops now
Will finally dry at last.

This too shall pass.