Thoughts for the Day

O Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger,
or discipline me in your wrath.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
O Lord, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.
My soul also is struck with terror....

Turn, O Lord, save my life;
deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.
For in death there is no remembrance of you;
in Sheol* who can give you praise?

* The place of the dead.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Have you been so desperate that your head could only scream "Help, Lord!"? Perhaps you were seriously ill, or in danger - if so you will know that total feeling of helplessness and the overwhelming need to ask God's intervention, even if you couldn't pray properly at the time.

The writer of Psalm 6 was likely to have been King David We don't know what situation he was facing, but it sounds as though it was sustained. It is known as the first of the Seven Penitential Psalms, which are songs of confession and humility to God. Interestingly the instructions are for it to be played on an eight-stringed harp.

When something so serious occurs and we can do nothing more than scream for help, we need to accept that we cannot pray properly, but need others to pray for us. Creating prayers chains is a helpful way to achieve this, asking friends and loved ones to pray consistently for the situation. It is something with which the elderly in particular can be involved.

Heavenly Father,
when we are desperate
and cannot pray properly,
we ask your forgiveness
and compassion.
May we be encouraged
to remember to pray
consistently for those in need.
Amen.