◄ What Does Psalm 6:10 Mean? ►

All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; They shall turn back, they will suddenly be ashamed.

Psalm 6:10(NASB)

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Verse of the Day

David's plaintive prayer and earnest supplication in Psalm 6, reaches the inner recesses of the hurting heart and impacts the soul of all who are going through times of deep distress or encompassed about by those who mock us, abuse us, or falsely spew out all manner of evil against us.

David's desolate cry becomes the voice of one whose throat is powerless to communicate their inner pain. It expresses words of desperate despair that are too traumatic to utter. It transforms the silent speech of the sorrowing soul into a coherent language that can be interpreted by others and can penetrate the very heart of our Heavenly Father.

The content of the Psalm brings to mind the tale of righteous Job who was accused of sinning against the Lord by the uncomfortable accusations of his judgemental 'friends', even though he did not sin with his lips nor charge the Lord with wrongdoing. Unaware that Satan was permitted by God to bring every sort of punishment upon his head, Job did not sin against the Lord nor blame God for anything.

We are not told in this Psalm that David's punishing circumstances were a result of sin, even though the king considered this must be the reason for his chastening and sought forgiveness from the Lord. Although God will often discipline His children because of sin, not all our problems are a result of sin. There are times when punishing circumstances invade our lives which God uses to hone us and refine us, to test our devotion to Him and to try our faith in His Word so that we may be purified in the furnace of affliction. And the product of this purification is more valuable than gold.

Although the psalmist pleaded for God's grace and salvation in the earlier verses, and described the bitter dismay that was heavy on his soul, the final few verses provide a flickering ray of hope and encouragement, as David starts to rebuke those that have disturbed his peace with a display of confidence: "Depart from me all you who do iniquity," he cries in exultation, "for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication. The LORD receives my prayer. All my enemies will be ashamed and greatly dismayed; they shall turn back and suddenly be ashamed."

The same proclamation may be declared by all who trust in the Lord for salvation: "All our enemies will one day be ashamed and all our foes will be greatly dismayed," for the time is coming when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess Jesus as Lord. All will one day discover the great love Christ has for His Church.

The day of grace is still open for all who will trust in Him for salvation, but the day of reckoning is fast approaching when our enemies will realise the folly of their ways and will suddenly become ashamed.

No matter how desperate our circumstances may be, and despite being encircled by those who hate us, abuse us, and say all manner of evil against us falsely, we can call on the name of the Lord and know that He hears our prayers and cares for all His children.

God does not always remove the painful circumstances in this life, but, as with Job and David, He will give us the sufficient strength to come through victoriously, and by His grace will give us a deeper knowledge and understanding of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

My Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for the book of Psalms which provides such encouragement and hope when we find ourselves immersed in sorrow and pain, or being mocked and abused by those who despise us. Help me to submit to You, resist the devil, and maintain my hope in Christ. I know that the time is fast approaching when You will right all wrongs and judge the world in righteousness. Search my heart, I pray, and show me if there is any sin that needs to be confessed. Thank You that I have the sufficient strength to come through every circumstance of life victoriously, when I keep my eyes on Jesus and maintain my faith in His unchanging Word. Thank You, in Jesus' name, AMEN.