Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
or discipline me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am faint;
heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony.
My soul is in deep anguish.
How long, Lord, how long?
Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
save me because of your unfailing love.
Among the dead no one proclaims your name.
Who praises you from the grave?
I am worn out from my groaning.
All night long I flood my bed with weeping
and drench my couch with tears.
My eyes grow weak with sorrow;
they fail because of all my foes.
Away from me, all you who do evil,
for the Lord has heard my weeping.
The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
the Lord accepts my prayer.
All my enemies will be overwhelmed with shame and anguish;
they will turn back and suddenly be put to shame.
~ Psalm 6
Key Verse: “Away from me, all you who do evil, for the Lord has heard my weeping.” Psalm 6:8
The Bible is clear that you must love everyone, forgive everyone, and pray for everyone. The Bible is also very clear that it is wise to have distance from some people too. When someone is hot-tempered, a fool, a mocker, or recruiting you to sin, maintain some distance. It is for your protection and God’s glory.
David confessed his sin to God and received mercy. He has been given a new start. Maybe people tried to pile guilt on him or drag him back into his rebellious ways. In any case, David knows to walk closely with God, he will need to add some distance from some destructive people in his life. Have you ever needed to make a similar decision? Have courage and trust God that the benefits will outweigh the cost.
Inspiring? You might also enjoy his interpretation of Psalm 1
Jesse Bradley is passionate about helping people discover the grace of Jesus- both in practical and eternal ways. He serves as Senior Pastor of Sebastopol Christian Churchin Northern California, with degrees from Dartmouth College and Dallas Theological Seminary. Once a professional goalkeeper in Scotland and Zimbabwe, God redirected him into ministry through a life-threatening illness. He is the author of Rooted In Grace and A New Season. Jesse and his wife, Laurie, have three children.
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