Psalm 38 – The Cure for a Troubled Soul

By: Edward Cortez

 

St. Augustine said that our souls are restless until they find their rest in God. There is a God-shaped vacuum in every one of us that only God can fill. And until He fills it, our souls will wander and long for real meaning and significance. Psalm 38 points to a restless and suffering soul that has wandered away from his Maker because of guilt and sin.

David appeals for the mercy of God, “Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your wrath…my guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear” (verses 1 and 4). A real child of God feels the enormous burden of causing a strain in his relationship with God because of disobedience. Physically and emotionally, David was feeling the crushing weight of being separated by his sin. This is why he cried out, “Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God. Come quickly to help me…” (verses 21 and 22).

What is the cure for a troubled soul? David provides the answer: “I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin” (verse 18). All we have to do is to go back to our loving and merciful Father, acknowledge our sins, and confess them before Him. He is a gracious Father, full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy (Psalm 145:8). There is no one beyond the reach of God’s mercy for as long as we humble ourselves.

Jesus already died for our sins and guilt at the cross. It’s all paid for by his blood. We just need to believe in Him and accept His precious sacrifice by faith. And like David at the end of this Psalm, we can proclaim Jesus as “my Lord and my Savior” (verse 22).

We do not have to carry the heavy burden of guilt and sin in our lives. Jesus has already lifted them up at the cross. Put your faith in Him, acknowledge His great love for you. Recognize your need for Him and be restored to a life-giving relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. Then, and only then will we find rest for our troubled souls.