In The Word
Read: Psalms 58-59
Prayer for the Punishment of the Wicked.
For the music director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David.
58 Do you indeed speak righteousness, you gods?
Do you judge fairly, you sons of mankind?
2 No, in heart you practice injustice;
On earth you clear a way for the violence of your hands.
3 The wicked have turned away from the womb;
These who speak lies go astray from birth.
4 They have venom like the venom of a serpent;
Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
5 So that it does not hear the voice of charmers,
Or a skillful caster of spells.
6 God, shatter their teeth in their mouth;
Break out the fangs of the young lions, Lord.
7 May they flow away like water that runs off;
When he aims his arrows, may they be as headless shafts.
8 May they be like a snail which goes along in slime,
Like the miscarriage of a woman that never sees the sun.
9 Before your pots can feel the fire of thorns
He will sweep them away with a whirlwind, the green and the burning alike.
10 The righteous will rejoice when he sees vengeance;
He will wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 And people will say, “There certainly is a reward for the righteous;
There certainly is a God who judges on the earth!”
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
For the music director; set to Al-tashheth. A Mikhtam of David, when Saul sent men and they watched the house in order to kill him.
59 Rescue me from my enemies, my God;
Set me securely on high away from those who rise up against me.
2 Rescue me from those who practice injustice,
And save me from men of bloodshed.
3 For behold, they have set an ambush for my life;
Fierce men attack me,
Not for my wrongdoing nor for my sin, Lord,
4 For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me.
Stir Yourself to help me, and see!
5 You, Lord God of armies, the God of Israel,
Awake to punish all the nations;
Do not be gracious to any who deal treacherously in wrongdoing. Selah
6 They return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.
7 Behold, they gush forth with their mouths;
Swords are in their lips,
For, they say, “Who hears?”
8 But You, Lord, laugh at them;
You scoff at all the nations.
9 Because of his strength I will watch for You,
For God is my refuge.
10 My God in His faithfulness will meet me;
God will let me look triumphantly upon my enemies.
11 Do not kill them, or my people will forget;
Scatter them by Your power and bring them down,
Lord, our shield.
12 On account of the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,
May they even be caught in their pride,
And on account of curses and lies which they tell.
13 Destroy them in wrath, destroy them so that they will no longer exist;
So that people may know that God rules in Jacob,
To the ends of the earth. Selah
14 They return at evening, they howl like a dog,
And prowl around the city.
15 They wander about for food
And murmur if they are not satisfied.
16 But as for me, I will sing of Your strength;
Yes, I will joyfully sing of Your faithfulness in the morning,
For You have been my refuge
And a place of refuge on the day of my distress.
17 My strength, I will sing praises to You;
For God is my refuge, the God who shows me favor.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
Psalm 59 is a psalm of David written when Saul sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him (I Samuel 19:11-18). Once again, David is facing the threat of death, and not for any guilt of his own (Psalm 59:4). This time, David’s wife, Saul’s daughter, helps David. She warns David about the plot of Saul and lets him down through a window so he could escape. Then she puts a statue in David’s bed and says that he is sick. I wonder if David is thinking about that as he writes Psalm 59:8, “but You, O Lord, laugh at them.”
David was a man after God’s own heart. We must guard our hearts against pride and other sins. That which is in our heart will proceed from our mouth. Do you find yourself speaking words from your lips that are not pleasing to God? It could be negative words or things like gossip, cursing, or lies. If you do, it is not a culture problem, and not a problem having to do with how you were raised. It is a heart problem. Our words matter. In Matthew 12:36, Christ says, “But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.” Our words should be pleasing to God. Use your words for Him today.