Psalm 38

When conscience is awakened and sin still seems to be in charge, where does the righteous man turn? Will God be offended when a sinner calls out to him yet again for a fresh start? He pleads to God that another way might be found for the Lord to look at Him, rather than through the assessment of God's holy requirements. He cannot bear the punishment he deserves, and he does not think he can stand more corrective discipline. Is there anything else that the Lord can do for him so that the relationship between God and man may be restored, and another beginning can somehow be given?

The loving discipline of God would be a normal way for a father to deal with the son that he loves. Yet this man does not know how he will survive any more trouble, even if the correction is meant for his good. How much life is left in his body? Can his soul take even one more wound? His mind is not working right, and his body is in pain.

He knows how he got to this point where he cannot even bear the fatherly love of correction. He has sinned, and like an addict who sees what health is, but does not know how to get to it, he mourns and admits his faults. They are way too heavy for him to bear any more. He is covered with repulsive infected wounds, and he knows he is guilty.

At least this can be said about him: He has been humbled. If before he was unwilling to come to terms with his situation, now he has stopped running away from the truth. He not only feels his own pain, he admits his responsibility.

His condition is not only physical. The connections between body and soul in the emotions and the will of a man are mysterious to consider. But this miserable man is not researching the condition of others with the detachment of a careful observer. He is the one who is so distressed. His heart and mind are not happy, but tumultuous, and so he groans and looks for some way to regain sanity and life.

God is his last and best hope. He believes in God. He brings his pitiful being before him, trusting that the Lord sees him and hears his groaning cries. He is going to die unless some help comes right away. He feels all alone; no friends, no companions, no family with him. He does not think anyone wants to have anything to do with him. Will the Lord help?

There are some people nearby, but they are the enemies who are seeking his life. They would not help him because they do not care for him. No, they are ones who want to see him fall and die. They have been thinking about it for a long time, and now they are ready to be the agents of his destruction.

He sees these men who hate him, but he is like a man in a nightmare who tries to run away and is paralyzed. He is deaf. He can't speak. What would he say anyway? No one here likes him. No one will help him. His life is almost over.

His only possible hope is the Lord who made the heavens and the earth. He calls out to God. He brings his dying request, “Let them not rejoice over me, who boast against me when my foot slips!”

As he cries out to God with his final plea, he confesses his sins. He is truly sorry. He knows that his sin has been against God. Will God be able and willing to help such a man, a man with strong enemies seen and unseen, foes who only seek his destruction?

If the only way that this man can relate to the Almighty is through God's Law and God's uncompromising holy justice, then there is no hope for him, and he will die in his sin. But what if an innocent man could be found who would take the wrath that is due? What if someone with perfect righteousness would be willing to die for Him? If such a man could be found, then these mighty adversaries would come against this substitute.

Then that perfect man would be the object of people's hatred, yet their animosity toward him would be completely unjustified. Such a man would not have to confess his own sins. He would be a lamb without blemish. But he would have to take the sins of the sinful worshiper of God. He would have to be willing to carry that poor man's burden who cries out to God at his final moment of distress.

Where can a man be found who is undefiled and full of compassion? God Himself would have to become Man in order to accomplish this noble mercy. Then the requirement of the Lord's holy justice would be satisfied, and a way of salvation would be revealed in a Substitute from heaven.

This has actually happened. Because of the gift of Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of sinful men who call upon the Name of the Lord, a new way of God relating to man has been found that grants hope to the most miserable offender who would repent and believe. Under the way of the Law and justice of God, it would have been necessary for God to forsake the weak sinner who called out to him in his final moment of trouble. The man was guilty. He deserved punishment.

But now a new hope has been revealed through Christ. Now God is near to us in His Son. He has helped us in a way that no one else ever could. He alone had the holiness and love that was necessary in order for the Lord to keep His ancient promises of divine favor to be lavished upon the families of the earth. The Lord has become man in order to die the death that we deserved. He has become our salvation, and we can approach God through the shining light of His glorious mercy.