Psalms 38:21

“O my God”

Psalms 38:21-22, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” Psalms 38 teaches us that God uses the consequences of sin to help a person repent of their sins. Psalms 38 also teaches us that those who hate the truth, those who hate righteousness will use the failures of Christians to attack the Word of God, to persecute Christians and to smite with the tongue so that others will not give heed to God’s Word.

Perhaps this is why the last two verses of Psalms 38 use 3 different names of God. The names of God reveal much about the character of God. Man is sinful. God is holy. Jesus is the faithful witness. Righteous is by grace through faith in Christ not of works. This is why the emphasis is on Jesus who died for the sins of the world and not on the accomplishments of man. Revelation 1:5 says, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

In these last days as the persecutions against Christians grow worse and worse, in these last days when TV, video, and satellite are used by governments to spy on and record the doings of Christians so as to use their mistakes as slander against them and to use the persecution against them even as slander how important it is to understand that all men are sinners and the emphasis is on Christ who is the faithful witness. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

In thinking about these things consider these last two verses of Psalms 38:21-22 which say, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” One reason there is so much slander and condemnation that comes against Christians is because the evil forces and evil men have great hatred against the righteousness of Christ. Because a Christian has been redeemed from sin by Christ the devil is going to slander out of his great anger towards the fact that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus.

Verse 21 emphasizes that Christ will never forsake his children. Once saved always saved. In these last days with so much persecution against Christians in the world, you may lose everything as you follow Christ, but just remember you can never lose your salvation. Jesus will never forsake you because it is not about your failures and your sinfulness it is about the righteousness of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for your sins and as Revelation 1:5 says, “washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

These are the days of great temptation, persecution, slander, suffering, traps, manipulation, and plots against Christians. How wonderful it is to know that even if a Christian fails during these these last days in which there is such great persecution and temptation that Christ is always faithful. It simply cannot be emphasized enough: Christ will never leave you or forsake you once you have turned to him for forgiveness of your sins. Hebrews 13:5 says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Psalms 38:21-22, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” The first name of God used here is the name Jehovah, the I am that I am, the eternally existent one. The second name of God used here is the name Eloheem. Eloheem is a plural word. Saying Eloheem is a way of emphasizing God the father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. In thinking about the sinfulness of man, the slander that can come as part of persecution, and the great hatred against those who are redeemed from their sins how good it is to know the promises of God stand forever. God’s Word does not change when men sin. God the father, God the Son, and God the Spirit are always with the Christian. The evil forces of the world cannot quench the Spirit of God. Because there is only one mediator between God the Father and man, the mediator Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, no sin, no snare, no slander, no persecution will cause Christ to forsake those that have entered into His eternal grace.

How much the names of God reveal about the character of God. How important it is to know the names of God and to think about the names of God and to use them respectfully. No wonder when these verses in Psalms says, “O my God,” it is said respectfully and not in vain. What a blessing it is to by the grace of God be able to say the name of God, Jehovah, the I am that I am, Jesus Christ of Nazareth of the Jews, the King of Kings, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world. What a blessing it is by the grace of God to know, to think about, and to say the names of God with reverence and respect. To know the character of God, to know the love of God, and to understand the power of redemption from sin through the blood of Jesus Christ will keep you connected to the Spirit of God through the Word of God despite your own sinful failures and despite the persecution that will come against you.

Physical, mental, emotional persecution, sexual abuse even cannot quench The Spirit of God inside a Christian. The Word of God does not change. God keeps His promises. Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” John 10:27-29 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.”

Psalms 38:21-22, “Forsake me not, O LORD: O my God, be not far from me. Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” 3 names of God are given in these last verses of Psalms 38. Psalms 38 is a Psalms 38 about how God uses the consequences of sin to lead men to repent of their sins. And Psalms 38 is also a warning about how those that oppose the truth of the Bible use the failures of Christians to persecute the Christian. The end of Psalms 38 emphasizes the faithfulness of God through Jesus Christ. Know the names of God. Think about the names of God. Use the names of God respectfully. And if anything the name of Jesus the faithful witnesses, Jesus Christ the author of salvation, Jesus Christ the mediator of the new covenant, the name of Jesus Christ itself will remind you of the promises of God and the wonderful grace that is revealed in the Bible for all those who repent of their sins and turn to Jesus for salvation.

Perhaps this is why the last verse in Psalms 38 says, “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” The name of God used here, Adoni, means Lord. The emphasis is on the fact that God is greater than man. Man is sinful. God is holy. Only an almighty God can save man from his great sinfulness. Man cannot save himself. The righteousness of God is like the great mountains. Man of himself cannot move a mountain. Faith in Christ who died for the sins of the world can move a mountain. Repent of your sins to Jesus and you will receive mountains of righteousness; the spiritual righteousness of the law freely given by grace though faith in Jesus Christ.

$Description: C:\BibleGemsDoc\Image37.gif$

___________________________________________________