Psalm 109:1–31 (ESV):
Be not silent, O God of my praise!
2 For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
3 They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
4 In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
5 So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
6 Appoint a wicked man against him;
let an accuser stand at his right hand.
7 When he is tried, let him come forth guilty;
let his prayer be counted as sin!
8 May his days be few;
may another take his office!
9 May his children be fatherless
and his wife a widow!
10 May his children wander about and beg,
seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!
11 May the creditor seize all that he has;
may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!
12 Let there be none to extend kindness to him,
nor any to pity his fatherless children!
13 May his posterity be cut off;
may his name be blotted out in the second generation!
14 May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!
15 Let them be before the Lord continually,
that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!
16 For he did not remember to show kindness,
but pursued the poor and needy
and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.
17 He loved to curse; let curses come upon him!
He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!
18 He clothed himself with cursing as his coat;
may it soak into his body like water,
like oil into his bones!
19 May it be like a garment that he wraps around him,
like a belt that he puts on every day!
20 May this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
of those who speak evil against my life!
21 But you, O God my Lord,
deal on my behalf for your name’s sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
22 For I am poor and needy,
and my heart is stricken within me.
23 I am gone like a shadow at evening;
I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting;
my body has become gaunt, with no fat.
25 I am an object of scorn to my accusers;
when they see me, they wag their heads.
26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
27 Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but you will bless!
They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!
29 May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;
may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!
30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
31 For he stands at the right hand of the needy one,
to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
As you read this psalm, you see that David does not hold back. He tells God exactly what he thinks should happen to those who are ‘wicked and deceitful’! He wants them to; be accused and found guilty, lose their job and influence, others to benefit from his work but not him, even that they should die and their children become poor, for generational sin to be counted against them, and for their name to be obliterated from memory! You can easily hear the anger and frustration of David as he lets God know exactly what he thinks of these people and their spiteful actions! Yet David did not act, for if he took vengeance, this would be what it looked like, and he might not know where to stop. At what point would he be then acting in a similar vane to how these people had treated him? So instead of making his own plans for retribution, David approaches God. He did not take revenge or try to argue with those speaking against him. Instead, he did the harder thing of showing great restraint and leaving it in God's hands.
You too can bring all your fears, frustrations and emotions to God. David determined that the best revenge he could get, and the best output for these destructive thoughts and emotions was to ‘give myself to prayer’. This is the most powerful thing you can do when you feel beaten down, unfairly accused or treated, give yourself to prayer. Don't hold anything back in outpouring to God, David doesn't and you don't need to either - look at what he says! Many of us would be afraid to speak such harshness over anyone, even those who have become enemies. Yet expressing this to God (not to others) is a safe outlet for He alone knows your heart and your pain. He alone knows how best to deal with you and the others involved, so you can trust Him to do what is needed and appropriate. David was wise in this, He went to the only One who will not just react emotionally, but to the One who sees the long view. David knew that God cares for him, is just, powerful and righteous. Therefore He is the best person to deal with injustice, oppression and harm. David trusts that God will do something about this person/people, ‘because your steadfast love is good’. God loves and supports His people. Plus He probably already has a solution and plan worked out, so why get in the way of God sorting the situation out?
David held back his response, choosing to give himself in prayer instead of giving himself to revenge. Is this your response?
David knew that God can respond in the right way and shut the mouths of his accusers one way or another. If David did it, he might cause more of a mess, so instead he entrusts the outcome to God. David is so convinced of God’s love and response that he ends this petition with praise. Once David has got all then anger and angst of his chest and given it all over to God, he praises Him. God hasn't even responded yet David worships! What a way to end an outpouring of wrath and frustration! To remember who you are talking to, and remember to be grateful for who God is, and the fact that He listens and loves you. Once you have handed over your situation and the people to God in prayer, you too can rejoice that God is going to act in response to the prayer of His beloved child. The outcome may not be imminent, and it may not be what you expect, but you can be assured that God will deal with whatever you bring to Him.
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