O Lord My God, who will answer

David, a man after God's heart,  so overcome by his sin against God, that he feels that arrows have pierced him.

"For your arrows have sunk into me..."

Does my sin cause that kind of anguish in me?  No.  Yet,  when I covet, I am saying to God,  "You are not good enough.   I want more." 

The world would have me believe that is just a desire to be successful, or being competitive.  And I even tell myself that lie.

"My wounds stink and fester because of my foolishness"

There are two ways to look at verse 5.  First,  is obvious.   My foolishness is my inability or refusal to acknowledge the sin that has and is infecting me.   When I do not see how offensive my sin is,  I do not confess it, and if I do not confess, how can I repent?

The second way to look at this verse is found in verse 12. 

"Those who seek my hurt speak of ruin..."

Satan would like for me to believe that I am beyond saving.   I'm so infected by sin that there is no point in seeking God's help.  The enemy is already planning my demise, sin has won and I am without hope.

"But I have become like a man who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.   BUT for you,  O Lord, do I wait; it is you,  O Lord my God, who will answer."

I need to only be silent, and hear what my God has to say concerning my sin.  I need to listen to none but Him.  God must have the final say regarding my sin.

Then like David I confess.

"I confess my iniquity,  I am sorry for my sin. "
"Do not forsake me, O Lord!  O my God,  be not far from me!   Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation.!"

There is hope.  God does not leave me to die in festering sin.  He has already given me the cure.  His son.  That is the hope of the Lenten season.  Not my ability to sacrifice, but Christ's ability and willingness to sacrifice for me.

Thank you Lord for your saving grace!