In The Word
Read: Psalm 109
Vengeance Invoked upon Adversaries.
For the choir director. A Psalm of David.
109 O God of my praise,
Do not be silent!
2 For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me;
They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
And fought against me without cause.
4 In return for my love they act as my accusers;
But I am in prayer.
5 Thus they have repaid me evil for good
And hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man over him,
And let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him come forth guilty,
And let his prayer become sin.
8 Let his days be few;
Let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless
And his wife a widow.
10 Let his children wander about and beg;
And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes.
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has,
And let strangers plunder the product of his labor.
12 Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him,
Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off;
In a following generation let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
That He may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 Because he did not remember to show lovingkindness,
But persecuted the afflicted and needy man,
And the despondent in heart, to put them to death.
17 He also loved cursing, so it came to him;
And he did not delight in blessing, so it was far from him.
18 But he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment,
And it entered into his body like water
And like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,
And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself.
20 Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
And of those who speak evil against my soul.
21 But You, O God, the Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake;
Because Your lovingkindness is good, deliver me;
22 For I am afflicted and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
23 I am passing like a shadow when it lengthens;
I am shaken off like the locust.
24 My knees are weak from fasting,
And my flesh has grown lean, without fatness.
25 I also have become a reproach to them;
When they see me, they wag their head.
26 Help me, O Lord my God;
Save me according to Your lovingkindness.
27 And let them know that this is Your hand;
You, Lord, have done it.
28 Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, they shall be ashamed,
But Your servant shall be glad.
29 Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor,
And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the Lord;
And in the midst of many I will praise Him.
31 For He stands at the right hand of the needy,
To save him from those who judge his soul.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Have you ever had a time when you heard that someone was spreading outright lies about you? How did that make you feel? They had spoken falsehoods about you that could destroy your reputation or effect how others would feel about you. How much more did it hurt because it was someone you loved (Psalm 109: 4)? I believe we have all had this happen to us from time to time, and if we don’t watch it, we could become as bitter as David was in Psalm 109. David was only writing what he honestly felt, and when we read it, we probably wished the same for the people who have hurt us.
The problem is that, as Christians and followers of Jesus Christ, we know that our obligation is not to ask God to give them the curses in verses 6 through 20. These verses implied a horrible life and quick death, but we are called to show love and forgiveness to those that hurt us. Christ on many occasions dealt with this same situation time and time again, and His answer was always the same: love. Even while hanging on a cross, giving His life for us, hearing the cursing and insults thrown at Him, Jesus still asked His Heavenly Father to forgive them, because they didn’t know what they were doing (Luke 23:34). Try using that same thought, “They know not what they do.” We live in a fallen world, and satan uses others to hurt us. Next time you hear of someone speaking falsehoods of you, take time to pray for them. Ask your heavenly Father to intervene in their life. Instead of returning a curse with a curse, give a blessing instead!