Psalm 118:18

Psalm 118:18

The chastening of the Lord

We’re still on the theme of death! Few people get the chance to reflect on a “near death” experience and to ponder the ramifications of that encounter. In this Psalm there is the suggestion that the writer sank so low he really did not believe that there was a way back. He has not only returned from the pit of death, but his physical and mental abilities have been restored, he is “normal” again. My own experience is not dissimilar, even as I write these words, I have to admit that the cords of death had entangled me, the gates of death loomed large. 

The writer here regards the whole experience as a time of severe chastening from the Lord. This is puzzling because the text suggests that he had put his life on the line whilst defending his country against a powerful confederacy of nations. Maybe, some of the decisions made had been incorrect. Maybe, if he had trusted the Lord more it might not have been necessary to take on those enemies at all! Whatever the circumstances, the psalmist is aware that he had to confront his own failings and vulnerability and that in so doing, he had failed. 

In all life’s circumstances, there are lessons to be learned, especially if we realise that our God is with us and directing our paths. In Psalm 6:1 David cries out, “Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger or discipline me in Your wrath.” (See also Psalm 38:1). Deuteronomy 8:5 says, “Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord God disciplines you.” Maybe for us all, a close encounter with our mortality is the time to stop and reflect, “This was not just a fluke event, or just a physical ailment. This was a wake-up call. This is a time of chastening, a time to learn humble godliness and to submit to the Master’s will.” 

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