Psalms 38:17-22: in context

This psalm is the cry of one in deep distress, weighed down by suffering, sin, and enemies. I am ready to fall, the psalmist says; my pain is continually before me. He does not hide his sin: I confess my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin. And amid his weakness, his failure, and the enemies who surround him, he casts himself on God with a desperate plea: do not forsake me, LORD; my God, do not be far from me; make haste to help me, Lord my salvation. At the point of falling, he cries to God for nearness and swift help.

What the psalmist does at the point of falling is worth learning. He is ready to fall, in pain, surrounded by enemies, burdened with sin. He does not pretend to be strong or hide his failure; he confesses his sin honestly, acknowledges his weakness, admits he is ready to fall. And then he casts himself entirely on God, crying, do not forsake me; do not be far from me; make haste to help me. He brings his weakness, his sin, and his desperate need together to God, and pleads for God's nearness and swift help. This is the response of faith when we are at the point of falling. This models how to come to God in our own weakness and failure. When we are weak, failing, ready to fall, burdened with our sin, we can be tempted to hide from God, to pretend, to despair, or to try to recover ourselves before we come to him. The psalmist shows another way: to bring our weakness and sin honestly to God, confessing our failure, and to cast ourselves on him, pleading for his nearness and help. He does not clean himself up before coming; he comes as he is, ready to fall, and cries, do not forsake me, make haste to help me. Do not forsake me, he prays; and God does not forsake those who cast themselves on him. This is a comfort for those who feel ready to fall. In our weakness and failure, we are not to hide from God or despair, but to come to him as we are, confessing our sin, admitting our weakness, and pleading for his nearness and swift help. The Lord is near, another psalm says, to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. God does not despise the weak and failing who cast themselves on him; he draws near to them and helps them. This calls us to cry to God when we are ready to fall, casting ourselves on him rather than hiding or despairing. The psalmist, at the point of falling, confessed his sin and cried, do not forsake me, make haste to help me, my salvation; and we are called to the same, bringing our weakness and failure honestly to God, pleading for his nearness and swift help, trusting that he does not forsake those who cast themselves on him but draws near to the ready-to-fall and helps them. When we are weak, failing, and ready to fall, the response of faith is not to hide or despair but to cry to God, do not forsake me, make haste to help me, casting ourselves on the God who is near to the broken and helps those who call on him.

When I am weak, failing, and ready to fall, burdened with my sin, do I hide from God, pretend, or despair, or try to recover myself before coming to him, and can the psalmist, who at the point of falling confessed his sin and cried, do not forsake me, make haste to help me, my salvation, move me to bring my weakness and failure honestly to God and cast myself on him, pleading for his nearness and swift help, trusting that he does not forsake those who call on him but draws near to the ready-to-fall?