Why was the psalmist at first silent, and why did he break silence and speak? When he gave utterance to his thoughts, to whom did he speak? What can we learn from this? Cf. Ps. 62:8; Jas 3:5-6. Answer: The psalmist was at first silent in the presence of his enemies to prevent himself from saying something he would regret later. Boy, oh, boy, can I learn a ton from this psalm. He finally cried out to the Lord asking for reassurance, and reaffirming that he is putting his faith in God.
It seems that God had many lessons to teach David, and that after his fall his eyes were opened to some of them in a new way. Discover from this psalm what some of these lessons were, and ask yourself, ‘Have I learnt them?’ Answer: 1) we need not say the first thing that comes to mind, and 2) a reminder that our lives are short and whatever trials we may be going through here on earth are only temporary. I continue to be reminded of some things over and over like a stubborn child.
Eric’s Notes
Psalm 38 was silence before the enemy; 39 is silence before God.
V1-3; 2-3; 4-5 and; 7-11 are each their own “section.” See NIV study notes.
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