The Dark Night of the Soul

PSALM 6

A PSALM OF REPENTANCE

Psalm 6  is the first of what the old writers called the penitential psalms. I'm doing a series on the seven penitential psalms (psalm 6, 32,38, 51,102, and 143) in my home on Sunday mornings.

I would like to share two thoughts that impacted me as I prepared psalm 6:

1. The depth of which the soul can sink through depression---the old writers referred to this depression as the "dark night of the soul."

2. The impact of depression on the whole person---body, soul, and spirit. 

I'm not going to exegete the psalm in today's blog---I would like to encourage all to read David's pain, hurt, and agony of the soul in psalm 6---take the time to feel what he  expressed in this psalm, and let that motivate you to reach out in care and love to those that you may know who are living in this "darkness of soul." Take note of the words that are in red.

1O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger

or discipline me in your wrath.

2Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint;

O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony.

3My soul is in anguish.

How long, O Lord, how long?

4Turn, O Lord, and deliver me;

save me because of your unfailing love.

5No one remembers you when he is dead.

Who praises you from the grave^b?

6I am worn out from groaning;

all night long I flood my bed with weeping

and drench my couch with tears.

7My eyes grow weak with sorrow;

they fail because of all my foes.

8Away from me, all you who do evil,

for the Lord has heard my weeping.

9The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;

the Lord accepts my prayer.

10All my enemies will be ashamed and dismayed;

they will turn back in sudden disgrace.