He confesses his sin and cries to God for forgiveness during a time of physical suffering. TO BRING TO REMEMBRANCE 1-4. Rebuke me not in Thy wrath. He knows that punishment for sin and rebuke because of sin are necessary. A believer understands this, but divine wrath is hard to understand fully. The arrows of the Lord refer to the psalmist's physical, mental, and spiritual infirmities. The metaphor of arrows is used in 7:13, 18:14, 45:5, 64:7, 77:17, and Job 6:4.
5-8. I am feeble. Foul and festering wounds had broken out on his body. He has no rest in body and soul. The grief of his heart affects everything about him. A believer’s life is seriously affected by the state of his soul before God.
9-14. I was as deaf. The Lord knows everything about him. Others stay aloof from him and seek to snare him. He was obliged to keep silent and make no defense. This is often referred to as the Lord Jesus when He was silent before His accusers. For believers, this is often the only way to deal with those who seek to make charges against them.
15-17. I do hope. He has confidence that God will answer, even though he is at the limit of his endurance. Believers have a sure hope before God even as we go through serious trials in life. We have a choice to doubt God or a choice to trust God.
18-20. I will declare.
He confesses he is sorry for his sin. Even then his enemies oppose him because he followed the good. Not every repentant change a believer makes will be accepted by those who are unbelievers or who do not understand forgiveness.
21-22. Final petitions. “Forsake me not, O Lord.” 27:9; 71:9, 18; 119:8 “O my God, be not far from me.” 22:19; 35:22; 71:12 “Make haste to help me, O Lord my salvation.” 22:19; 31:2; 40:13; 70:1; 71:13
The psalm concludes when he prays for three things…
- God’s presence
- God’s help
- God’s help quickly