From Darkness to Light

Psalm 6

Dr. Edwin P. Elliott

I. David Spoke from the Dark Night of the Soul

A. David began by acknowledging his own part in reaching the distress which was overwhelming him; God had good cause to be angry. “To the chief Musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.” (Psalm 6:1)

B. Confession is never the time to hold back from God; explain the problem and note all its features. “Have mercy upon me, O LORD; for I am weak: O LORD, heal me; for my bones are vexed.” (Psalm 6:2) “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;” (Psalm 103:13-17)

C. Pain and sorrow overwhelm time so that people cannot see to the end of their trials. “My soul is also sore vexed: but thou, O LORD, how long?” (Psalm 6:3) “Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed.” (Psalm 31:9-10)

D. Sin may be home-made but help waits in heaven. “Return, O LORD, deliver my soul: oh save me for thy mercies’ sake. For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” (Psalm 6:4-5)

II. Grief and Trial Take Many Forms

A. The dark night of the soul stresses people. “I am weary with my groaning; all the night make I my bed to swim; I water my couch with my tears.” (Psalm 6:6) “My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.” (Job 10:1)

B. Enemies and detractors use the natural struggles of believers for evil purposes. “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:3)

C. People who understand sin, sorrow, disappointment, and hope cannot restrain their reactions; people unmoved by the trials of life demonstrate a failure to grasp the issues. “And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.” (Luke 7:37-38)

D. Holding back on life’s trials only compounds the stress. “Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.” (Psalm 6:7) “When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long.” (Psalm 32:3)

III. The Darkness Makes the Dawn More Beautiful

A. Get some perspective; God, not trouble, is the believer’s context; give enemies of grace the warning they need. “Depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity; for the LORD hath heard the voice of my weeping.” (Psalm 6:8)

B. There is consolation in the realization that a person will have trouble; the question is whether that trouble will display itself in time or in eternity. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Matthew 7:23)

C. God knows all which is taking place. “The LORD hath heard my supplication; the LORD will receive my prayer.” (Psalm 6:9) “To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” (Psalm 40:1-2)

D. God answers His people in their need. “I called upon the LORD in distress: the LORD answered me, and set me in a large place.” (Psalm 118:5)

E. David and Paul preached the same message; human weakness displays heaven’s grace. “For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

F. People who do not understand how God governs will be humiliated. “Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly.” (Psalm 6:10) “Destroy thou them, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions; for they have rebelled against thee.” (Psalm 5:10)