On the wrong path . . .

Numbers 4; Psalm 38; Song of Songs 2; Hebrews 2

Mom used to call it “getting out of the wrong side of the bed.” My brother used to say, “Go out on the step and get the stink blown off.” They were talking about being grouchy first thing out of bed. I know that grouchiness. I also realize that I cannot blame it on anything but myself even though I’ve blamed lack of sleep, bad dreams, 5:00 am crows cawing at the window, or the room being too hot or cold. Those excuses used to work but not anymore, not today.

Some theologians try to figure out what was going on in David’s life when he wrote Psalm 38. His lament over several things cannot be linked to one thing. He says,

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; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me. (Psalm 38:3–4)

And he adds, “I am feeble and crushed; I groan because of the tumult of my heart.” (Psalm 38:8)

The NT may add light to this confusion of David’s reason for his misery. It says I need to pay attention to what is motivating my life . . .

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. (Galatians 5:16–17)

When I walk in the flesh, I am out of sorts with everything. I’m feeling God’s wrath instead of grace, focusing on all the mistakes I make and the sins I commit, and everything seems against me. I’m pleading for mercy, at least when I get tired of all this me-me-me stuff and want God to bail me out of my self-pity party.

Could it be that David was in a state of unconfessed sin? Almost every line of this psalm has a personal pronoun in it — me, my, I, etc. His focus is on himself and that does not fit the description of walking in the Spirit.

Another aspect of a spirit-filled walk is that no matter what is going on, I am bearing fruit that glorifies God:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22–23)

David didn’t live under the new covenant yet the principle of relying on the Lord is constant. When I focus on me, rely on my own reasoning, strength, judgments, and so on, it seems as if everything is wrong. The world is out of sorts because I am out of sorts and have forgotten that Jesus said, “In me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

APPLY: I woke up this morning feeling like David. The world is a scary place. My bones ache. I feel like no one understands me. I’m not happy. Me-me-me. Instead, I need to confess this fleshy walk and get back on track walking in the Spirit. The flesh profits nothing and no one — whereas the Holy Spirit brings light and life to me and to those around me. God, as always, I need You to fill me and enable me to live this day in joy and obedient surrender to You.