1/30/2012 8:21:36 AM
SPIRITUAL DIARY
My Worship Time Focus:
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 35
Message of the verses: Just a little reminder from the first part of the commentary on Psalm 35 I will repeat the quote from Dr. Wiersbe: “David made three requests of God, and eventually He granted all of them.” We will now look at the second request.
Reward Me (vv. 11-18): “11 ¶ Malicious witnesses rise up; They ask me of things that I do not know. 12 They repay me evil for good, To the bereavement of my soul. 13 But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, And my prayer kept returning to my bosom. 14 I went about as though it were my friend or brother; I bowed down mourning, as one who sorrows for a mother. 15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together; The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me, They slandered me without ceasing. 16 Like godless jesters at a feast, They gnashed at me with their teeth. 17 Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue my soul from their ravages, My only life from the lions. 18 I will give You thanks in the great congregation; I will praise You among a mighty throng.”
We mentioned yesterday that Psalm 35 was an imprecatory psalm and in verses 4-8 we see why it is called and imprecatory psalm, and that is because in these verses we see that David asked God to; well let us just say to be unkind to the men of Saul, and for good reason. We see in this section that David had prayed for these men in a good way, but the Lord would not answer David’s prayer for them because they were evil men. However David would receive a blessing from the Lord for his faithful prayer even though God did not answer it. David’s prayer would be rewarded. These evil men would be like court jesters and talk bad about David when they were eating their meals, and all of this broke the heart of David for he cared for them, but not for the lies that they were spreading about him.
I know in my heart a little of what David went through by praying for someone to come to know the Lord for over thirty years and then near the end of their life tell me that they did not want to hear about this. My wife and I wondered about all of the prayers that we sent heavenward, and what was done with them, but it seems to be answered in the commentary of Warren Wiersbe when he writes: “David received a blessing because he prayed,” however God did not answer our prayers and that was a painful experience.
Dr. Wiersbe writes at the end of this section these words, “David knew that God would eventually reward him for his faithfulness, but he didn’t know when. His first praise to God (vv. 9-10) was personal, but the second expression of praise (v.-18) is in the congregation with the saints.”
Vindicate Me (vv. 19-28): “19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me; Nor let those who hate me without cause wink maliciously. 20 For they do not speak peace, But they devise deceitful words against those who are quiet in the land. 21 They opened their mouth wide against me; They said, "Aha, aha, our eyes have seen it!" 22 You have seen it, O LORD, do not keep silent; O Lord, do not be far from me. 23 Stir up Yourself, and awake to my right And to my cause, my God and my Lord. 24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Your righteousness, And do not let them rejoice over me. 25 Do not let them say in their heart, "Aha, our desire!" Do not let them say, "We have swallowed him up!" 26 Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress; Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me. 27 Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant." 28 And my tongue shall declare Your righteousness And Your praise all day long.”
We know from David’s story that he was on the run from Saul for ten years and that the men whom he was friends with and fought with against Israel’s enemies were now against him and spreading lies and rumors about him that we hurtful to David. We also know that eventually Saul was killed and for the next seven years David was king over Judah but not over all of Israel, for one of Saul’s son’s, who was really a puppet king, ruled of the Northern tribes of Israel. David would then become king over all of Israel which would fulfill what the Lord had planned for him when he was anointed by Samuel many years earlier. David was exercising patience in his dealings with Saul and his men and this can be seen in this 35th Psalm, and yet David was brokenhearted over how he was being treated, but through all of this was learning more and more to lean on the Lord because David’s cause was just and it was also God’s cause (v-26). In verse 26 we see the same prayer that David prayed in verse 4, and asked the enemy be shamefully defeated, which it would be as seen in the last chapter of 1Samuel. The very thing that God asked Saul to do and he did not do fully was when we see that Samuel told Saul that because of his disobedience God has chosen another man to be king over Israel. Saul was told to kill all of the Amalekites, and in the end because he disobeyed God an Amalekite would tell David that he killed Saul.
Dr. Wiersbe writes at the end of his commentary from this section these words: “The word translated ‘prosperity’ (V. 27 KJV) is the familiar Hebrew word ‘shalom—peace,’ which means much more than a mere cessation of hostilities. It carries the idea of well being in every aspect of life, including peace with God, with others, with yourself, and with the circumstances of life.
“David’s experiences reminds us of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, who was also hated without a cause (John 15:25) and falsely accused and attacked by those for whom He had shown nothing but kindness and live. God delivered David from his enemies, but the ‘Father’ spared not his own son’ (Rom. 8:32) but willingly gave Him to die for the sins of the world.”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I know that David went through a lot of trials and tribulation from his own people during this ten year period, but I also know that God was with him and lead him all of the way. Reading these types of psalms increases my faith and for that I am thankful.
My Steps of Faith for Today:
1. Continue to trust the Lord each and every day knowing that His plans are the best plans for my life.
2. Continue to learn contentment through life’s circumstances.
1/30/2012 9:35:52 AM
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