Enemies

I just read Psalm 6, as part of my daily reading plan, and while reading I started thinking that everything in the Psalm perfectly illustrated my own personal pleas to God. Well, everything except the parts about enemies. But then the following thought popped into my head: enemies do not have to be people. I may be the only one who naturally thinks of enemies in the form of people. Perhaps I do so when reading some of the Psalms because I think of the author (David, in this case) and what he was experiencing at the time. He was literally running and hiding to save his life! For me, though, the enemies I need God's strength against most are the self-doubt, low self-esteem, and sense of failure that want to squash my every desire to "just keep swimming, just keep swimming...". I get so overwhelmed with negative thoughts about what I have done with my life so far, how much I have completely screwed up, that I just want to give up. Psalm 6 puts my innermost groanings into words...

1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in Your anger,



Nor chasten me in Your wrath.


2 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away;


Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed.


3 And my soul is greatly dismayed;


But You, O LORD—how long?

4 Return, O LORD, rescue my soul;


Save me because of Your lovingkindness.


5 For there is no mention of You in death;


In Sheol who will give You thanks?

6 I am weary with my sighing;


Every night I make my bed swim,


I dissolve my couch with my tears.


7 My eye has wasted away with grief;


It has become old because of all my adversaries.


8 Depart from me, all you who do iniquity,


For the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping.


9 The LORD has heard my supplication,


The LORD receives my prayer.


10 All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed;


They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed. (NASB)