Wrath and Hot Displeasure? Not!

Psalm 38:1
1O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

Have you ever been taken to the wood shed? This mythical place (at least I never had a real experience there) was far removed from the ears of neighbors and on lookers. The father would schedule a "Board" meeting with Junior because of a violation of the rules. Junior would stand as the Father would administer swift, a often repetitive judgment. Then Junior would need to remain standing for a good while, since his pants would be too warm to sit comfortably.

The few times I have had such meetings, I remember I wanted to negotiate a lighter sentence. I would promise to do anything, and everything to get out of what I deserved. The Psalmist must have been a distant relative of mine! He states what everyone of us would say as we enter into the Heavenly wood shed.

O Lord, rebuke me not in thy wrath:

There was a famous sermon that had a title that spoke about falling into the hands of an angry God! The word wrath carries with it a meaning of being punished out of anger! As a Father I think a few times I punished out of an angry heart and not a loving heart that intended to care and show my love for the recipient of my wrath.

The Psalmist never once denies his guilt, in fact he implies that he is grossly guilty of all charges. Because of that guilt he asks the Lord to not issue out the deserved punishment in a strong, stern. or fierce anger. He was pleading that the punishment he deserved would not be meted out with vengeance.

Neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure.

The Psalmist covers the spectrum of his thoughts! He seeks the Lord to temper the punishment with grace. He does not want the full brunt of the suffering that could be inflicted because of his guilt. The choice of the word, "chasten" is unique, the purpose of this word is; to discipline, to punish, to humble, to purify, and to simplify. The Psalmist was seeking the mercy of the Lord and who in their right mind would want the full force of the God of the universe to lash out and punish in all His wrath, or hot displeasure.

I am thankful for a God that only wants to help me and never wants to harm me... I praise His Holy name!