Sundays in the Psalms (6)

Cries of the Broken: Finding Hope in Psalm 6

Bible Passage: Ps 6:1–10

Application: This passage invites Christians to acknowledge their struggles with sin and their need for divine forgiveness. It emphasizes the importance of bringing our brokenness before God, offering assurance that He listens and responds to our cries for help.

Holiness is the chief attribute of God.

The angelic host surrounding God have no trouble recognizing this truth as they cry out, (Isa. 6:3

Isaiah 6:3 KJV 1900

And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: The whole earth is full of his glory.

In the same way, what God desires in the believer’s life, more than anything else, is personal holiness.

God says to his people, “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (Lev. 11:44–45; 19:2; 20:7; 1 Pet. 1:16).

This call for holiness requires that the believer live a pure and separated life, rooted and grounded in God’s Word (Ps. 1:1–3).1

But what happens when a believer falls into sin?

When he fails to acknowledge and confess his sin, God will apply his chastening rod to restore him to holiness (Heb. 12:3–11).

During an unspecified time of David’s life, he persisted without acknowledging his sin to God.

The consequences of unconfessed sin in his life were devastating.

This “psalm of David” does not record the actual confession of his sin, but it is a reality to be understood.1

This psalm is classified as a penit- en- tial psalm, one in which the psalmist turns to God for forgiveness.

This is the first such psalm in the Book of Psalms (cp. Pss. 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143).1

Summary: In Psalm 6, David expresses deep anguish, crying out for mercy and healing as he confronts his sin and the overwhelming sense of abandonment. The psalm serves as both a la-ment and a plea for restoration, revealing the emotional turmoil that accompanies remorse.

So, This Psalm teaches us that God is intimately aware of our pain and sinfulness, and He is ready to forgive and heal those who genuinely seek Him.

Just as David found solace in his la-ment, believers today can approach God with honesty about their struggles and expect His merciful response.

When we lay our hearts before God in moments of despair and acknowledge our sins, we can expect His grace to wash over us and restore our brokenness.

In this psalm We see Davids pattern for finding hope when broken.

I. Plea for Mercy

Ps 6:1-3

This is David acknowledging both his emotional and physical agony.

First we see

A. His Cry

David was aware of his sin, and he knew God was also aware of it.

There was no need to try and conceal it.

He may have been able to keep it from men for a while, but God knew the mistakes he had made, and any efforts to cover the sin.

David realized his only course of action, his only hope in this situation, was to plead for mercy.

He had no desire to experience the rebuke of God or His chastening hand in displeasure.

We know our sin is displeasing to God, and that He will deal with it in our lives, and yet we find ourselves in situations where we face the chastening hand of God.

When God brings conviction to our lives, He is revealing the need for repentance, fully expecting us to respond to His chastening.

In those times we need the mercy of God.

His mercies withhold what we rightly deserve.

I rejoice that we serve a merciful God, One who is willing to convict and restore!

B. His Condition

Here we discover the pitiful condition David finds himself in as a result of his sin.

There are a couple of aspects we need to consider concerning David’s condition.

1. His sin had created a physical ailment in his body.

Have mercy upon me, O Lord; for I am weak: O Lord, heal me; for my bones are vexed.

It had created great weakness and physical displeasure.

David had literally become physically ill because of his sin.

I am certain we too can relate to physical weakness because of sin in our lives.

We do not rest at night;

our lives are filled with regret and shame,

bringing worry and undue anxiety.

All of this creates physical distress.

2. David’s sin had also created spiritual distress.

My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O Lord, how long?

He no longer enjoyed fellowship with the Lord.

His worship and prayer were hindered because of sin.

Spiritually he was suffering as well because of unconfessed sin.

Sadly, spiritual distress can be the most overlooked, and yet the most devastating.

Our fellowship with God is always hindered when we allow unconfessed sin to remain in our lives.

When recognize our own brokenness before God and Plea for His mercy it always leads to real restoration.

God desires honest cries grounded in truth about our condition.

II. Proclamation of Steadfast Love

Ps 6:4-5

For thy mercies’ can also be translated ‘steadfast love’

David proclaims God’s unwavering love for him.

David knows that the only reason he feels the way he does is because he is being chastened by his Father.

Proverbs 13:24 KJV 1900

He that spareth his rod hateth his son: But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

Revelation 3:19 KJV 1900

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Hebrews 12:10–11 KJV 1900

For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

David longs to be back in fellowship with God

It is important to note here that there are some writers that presume that David is implying total annihilation at death.

This cannot be the case because David was well aware that the spirit of man would dwell forever in eternity, either with God in heaven or apart from Him in hell.

Here David speaks of a physical and practical sense rather than a divine and eternal sense.

David pleads with the Lord to restore him physically and spiritually so he might worship and praise God again within this life.

He desired to live another day in hopes of serving the Lord.

He knew he would be unable to do so if his life were taken in death.

What a challenge this presents to us.

We only have one life to live, one opportunity to praise the Lord here and make a difference in the lives of others.

If our lives are ineffective due to sin or fill an early grave, we will miss the great opportunities God desires for us!

III. Profound Depth of Sorrow

Ps 6:6-7

A. He Was Weary

His sin may have brought temporary pleasure, but that had passed and he was now bound with regret and grief.

As he lay in bed at night, his mind and heart were flooded with conviction and a desire for restoration, bringing him to weeping and sorrow.

David was weary of living in shame and hypocrisy.

He longed for the strength and joy he enjoyed before.

Sin brings pleasure for a season, but it will never satisfy.

Once we have tasted the grace of God and enjoy communion with Him in salvation, nothing can take its place.

it is In the quiet times, as God deals with our hearts, that grief and shame begin to set in, causing great weariness of soul because you realize that you have broken fellowship with the one that gives life.

B. He Was Weak

As we discussed, sin had brought physical fatigue to David, but he also endured spiritual weakness as well.

His life had been turned upside down because of sin.

He lost all joy and happiness.

There never seemed to be a moment when he could escape the reality of his sin.

His eyes continually filled with tears.

Those who had heard of his sin railed on him continually.

In essence, the consequences of sin were taking their toll on David.

I am convinced that the most miserable people in the world are believers who are walking a guilty distance from the Lord.

They may try to convince themselves that all is well, but deep down they know there is a great need.

Unconfessed sin results in grief and anguish of soul.

Repentance and restoration are our only hope.

IV. Promise of Divine Answer

Ps 6:8-10

Finally David sees the light at the end of the tunnel. He discloses the comfort he receives from his honest confession and the restoration he will now enjoy because of his repentance.

A. His Faith

The voices of judgment and condemnation were strong from David’s adversaries,

but they did not have the final say.

This is not a denial of guilt on David’s part,

it was a statement of hope and rejoicing.

Men may not have been able to forgive him

but God had.

David had poured his heart out unto the Lord and he knew God had responded.

David’s faith was in the Lord and His gracious mercies.

He could now rest, knowing his faith had been renewed in the Lord.

God is never pleased with sin in our lives, but it doesn’t have to remain and cause defeat.

We can confess our sin, bringing it to the Lord in repentance and find restoration.

The blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin: past, present, and future!

1 John 1:9 KJV 1900

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:2 KJV 1900

And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

B. His Forgiveness

David was not pleased with his sin,

but now he could rejoice

He knew God had heard His supplication

He knew God would respond

He had offered confession from a repentant heart and he was now ready to receive restoration and move on with the Lord.

He refused to live in the past, but desired to enjoy spiritual victory again.

Many live in defeat because they refuse to trust in the Lord for restoration.

The refuse to forgive themselves

They continue to listen to the voices of their accusers.

Can I tell you this evening, There is forgiveness and restoration in Christ.

Once sin is openly and honestly confessed, restoration is made.

We can continue for the Lord in full assurance.

That isn’t to say consequences won’t remain, but we don’t have to live in defeat and despair.

Trust in the Lord and press on for Him!

C. His Favor

Although God had forgiven and restored him many would not.

Some would remember this sin against David as long as they lived.

David chose to dwell in the Lord and allow Him to handle those who sought to slander his name.

He was confident he had repented and again enjoyed fellowship with the Lord.

He knew God would guard his life and provide for him.

Often this is the case with sin today.

God is able and willing to forgive, but others are not at times.

God chooses to forget while many men seek to remember.

They tend to remind us of our faults and failures.

There is comfort knowing we do not live our lives to obtain the approval of men.

If they refuse to forgive, there is really nothing we can do.

My brother for instance

As long as we ensure we have confessed our sin to the Lord and sought reconciliation with those we may have wronged, we can rest in the peace of God.

Conclusion:

This Psalm was written from a heavy heart.

David revealed the innermost places of his life.

He pleaed for mercy confessing his sin and need unto the Lord.

He longed for forgiveness and restoration.

Apart from penitent prayer he would’ve continued in defeat and misery.

We too face situations where repentance is necessary and vital to our spiritual lives.

This psalm invites us to acknowledge our struggles with sin and our need for divine forgiveness.

It reminds us of the importance of bringing our brokenness before God,

it offers assurance that He listens and responds to our cries for help. so we can find hope in our brokenness

If you have never repented of sin in salvation, that is the most pressing need you have.

If you are a believer walking in sin, bring that before the Lord as well. Come as He leads!

1.Steven Lawson, Psalms 1–75, ed. Max Anders, Holman Old Testament Commentary, (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference, 2004), 11:41.

2.Chris Benfield, Pulpit Pages: Old Testament Sermons, 2015, 541.