Today I want to look at a portion of Psalm 38.  You can read the entire Psalm here, but I want to look closer at verses 17-22:

17 For I am ready to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me.
18 I confess my iniquity;
   I am sorry for my sin.
19 Those who are my foes without cause are mighty,
   and many are those who hate me wrongfully.
20 Those who render me evil for good
   are my adversaries because I follow after good.
21 Do not forsake me, O Lord;
   O my God, do not be far from me;
22 make haste to help me,
   O Lord, my salvation.

Psalm 38 is a Psalm that looks honestly at the pain caused by sin.  David feels conviction for his sin, and he feels the consequences of his sin. He calls out to God in the midst of his pain, his hurt, his confusion, all that he is experiencing. 

I think this is so key and so beautiful.  Our sin makes us want to hide from God, to separate ourselves from God. Think of Adam and Eve when they first sinned in the Garden, what did they do? They hid from God. When God came looking for them in the cool of the evening, they hid from God and did not want to be in His presence. 

Out of guilt, or shame, or whatever, they wanted to hide God. That’s what sin does.

What does David do today?  He knows he has messed up. But instead of hiding from God, he turns to God. He seeks God’s face. He understands that He has messed up, but instead of hiding from God he runs to God. 

Sin wants to separate us. God wants to restore us.  Let’s turn to our great God of grace, even when we fall. Because here’s the truth, when we fall, that’s when we need Him most. 

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