DON’T LOSE SIGHT OF GOD!
Psalm 109:1-5
Be not silent, O God of my praise!
For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,
speaking against me with lying tongues.
They encircle me with words of hate,
and attack me without cause.
In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
So they reward me evil for good,
and hatred for my love.
David is truly asking God to go after his enemies. His
imprecations are strong and direct. Reading this psalm, though, has challenged
my heart.
Psalm 109:4
In return for my love they accuse me,
but I give myself to prayer.
David has a clear conscience about his
feelings and reactions. Loving your enemies is never easy, and to do it with a
sincere heart is almost impossible. Actually, without God’s help, it is
impossible! Praying sincerely for your enemies, if you do not love them, is
also impossible. Praying that they will stop or change is a common prayer, but
a request to God driven by godly love does not seek the good of the offended,
but of the offender!
We are commanded to love and pray for our enemies.
Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall
love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that
you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on
the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if
you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax
collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you
doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be
perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luke 6:27-36
“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who
hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer
the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your
tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away
your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to
you, do so to them.
“If you love those who love you,
what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if
you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even
sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive,
what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same
amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in
return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High,
for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father
is merciful.
Jesus makes it clear – Love – Pray – Bless - Do Good!
These verses reveal that such selfless actions set apart the
believer from the unbeliever. In other words, these are not deeds that can be
done in our flesh. One needs to be a believer who has been transformed by the
work of the Holy Spirit.
Although it would seem as if David is asking God to come
against those who are hurting him and others, there is a recurring theme woven into
his requests.
Psalm 109:21
But you, O GOD my Lord,
deal on my behalf for your name's sake;
because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!
Psalm 109:26-27
Help me, O LORD my God!
Save me according to your steadfast love!
Let them know that this is your hand;
you, O LORD, have done it!
Psalm 109:30
With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;
I will praise him in the midst of the throng.
David has complete trust in what God will do. He has faith
in God’s steadfast love. Although he has enemies, difficulties, and hard
situations, he never loses sight of God’s love and care for him. His trust
includes resting in God’s timing and wisdom. David is making these requests
during hard times, but he does not stop praising God. He appeals to God and
wants his enemies to know that whatever God’s action will be, it comes from the
Lord and not from him.
David wants God to act, wants God to get the glory, and he wants
those people to know God.
We all go through trials and want those who are hurting us
to stop. We want God to act, but are we satisfied with His timing and His
methods? Are we peacefully trusting our wise and loving God?
Enemies are real! Pain is real! Difficulties are real!
Sorrow is real!
But above all, GOD is real and He is in control!
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