“Skin for Skin”

A series on the Psalms - the voice of emotions
When you’re feeling angry.
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Psalm 13 

[Life is filled with emotions… anger and love; fear and courage; anxiety and peace. The Book of Psalms is also filled with emotions. They help us to validate our feelings and understand ourselves better; to grow in our faith and our relationship with Jesus; to understand the character of our Lord and how He works in our life.]

 

When I was young, I had an anger problem. One time I got so angry that I punched the wall in my bedroom and put a hole in it. No idea why. But I’m pretty sure that I was angrier after punching the wall.

 

Of all the people in the Bible, Job had the best excuse for being angry; especially being angry at God. In Job 2, God and Satan were discussing Job’s faith. God bragged about his faithfulness.

 

⁴ Satan replied to the Lord, “Skin for skin! A man will give up everything he has to save his life. ⁵ But reach out and take away his health, and he will surely curse you to your face!”        NLT

 

Psalm 13 is mostly about David venting his deep-seated anger towards God.

 

¹ How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
    and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
    How long will my enemy triumph over me?              NIV

 

Each time he repeats his question of “How long”, you can feel his frustration and anger building. You can feel the “depth of David’s distress”. You can feel his disappointment and doubt in the Lord.

 

We’ve all had similar experiences. It could have been from an illness; a still born baby; an accident; the death of a loved one; or any one of many other life circumstances. And, just like David, these experiences are very painful with an understandable reaction of being angry towards God.

 

But David changed. He made a one hundred eighty degree turn. Not just in terms of his attitude, but also in terms of his faith in the Lord.

 

The Life Application Bible explains David’s change like this:

 

“David expressed his feelings to God and found strength. By the end of his prayer, he was able to express hope and trust in God. Prayer is one way we can express our feelings and talk our problems out with God. He helps us have the right perspective, leading to peace.”

 

Here’s how David finished his prayer.

 

⁵ But I trust in your unfailing love;
    my heart rejoices in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing the Lord’s praise,
    for he has been good to me.       NIV

 

“Skin for skin”, Satan said to the Lord. He predicted that a person would reject God when they felt betrayed by Him. Job didn’t. David didn’t. What about you?

 

^8a Come near to God and he will come near to you.      NIV    James 4  

¹³ If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. NLT Jeremiah 29

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

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