SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
4/6/2012 8:07:11 AM
My Worship Time Focus: David’s “unusual” prayers
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Psalm 69:19-36
Message of the verses: In yesterday’s SD we read these words from the introductory commentary of Warren Wiersbe “when you read the psalm, you find the author confronting the Lord with three important concerns.” We went over the first concern yesterday.
Vindication: “Judge My Enemies!” (vv. 19-29): “19 You know my reproach and my shame and my dishonor; All my adversaries are before You. 20 Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick. And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none. 21 They also gave me gall for my food And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
“22 ¶ May their table before them become a snare; And when they are in peace, may it become a trap. 23 May their eyes grow dim so that they cannot see, And make their loins shake continually. 24 Pour out Your indignation on them, And may Your burning anger overtake them. 25 May their camp be desolate; May none dwell in their tents. 26 For they have persecuted him whom You Yourself have smitten, And they tell of the pain of those whom You have wounded. 27 Add iniquity to their iniquity, And may they not come into Your righteousness. 28 May they be blotted out of the book of life And may they not be recorded with the righteous. 29 But I am afflicted and in pain; May Your salvation, O God, set me securely on high.”
Today around the world many people observe “Good Friday,” the day of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. While on the cross Jesus was offered gall and vinegar to drink when He said that He was thirsty in order to fulfill these words that were written many years before by King David in Psalm 69:21.
David was looking for sympathy because of the physical shape he was in, but got none and then he writes about the food and drink he was offered and so at this point David was looking for the Lord to judge his enemies. He prays for this judgment in verses 22-29. David’s desire was that God would give his enemies what they deserved. The discussion that we see in verses 22-29 is what is referred to as an imprecatory (to call down harm, especially a curse, on somebody) psalm, and Psalm five is another example of an imprecatory psalm.
David’s enemies had put gall and vinegar on his table for him to eat and now in verse 22 David asks God to make their tables become a snare and a trap to them. Dr. Wiersbe writes “This meant that judgment would catch them unprepared in their careless hours of feasting. “While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape (1Thes. 5:3).” “9 And David says, "LET THEIR TABLE BECOME A SNARE AND A TRAP, AND A STUMBLING BLOCK AND A RETRIBUTION TO THEM. 10 "LET THEIR EYES BE DARKENED TO SEE NOT, AND BEND THEIR BACKS FOREVER." 11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.” Paul is quoting verses 22-23 here in Romans 11:9-10 in order to show Israel’s religious complacency. These verses could be speaking of the sacrifices and the meals that Israel had and how they in no way were honoring to the Lord so Paul speaks to this issue as to why God was going to set Israel aside and turn His attention to the Gentiles.
Dr. Wiersbe goes on to say that “David prayed that some of the basic blessings of life would be taken away from his enemies—eating, seeing, walking, and having descendants—and then that life itself would be snatched from them (vv. 27-28).” It is in the book of Acts that Peter would apply these verses to Judas.
In order to help us understand verse 28 I will again quote from Dr. Wiersbe’s commentary: “David asked in verse 28 that his enemies be slain, blotted out of the book of the living. Even more, he didn’t want them identified with the righteous after they died, which meant they were destined for eternal judgment. While this kind of prayer is hardly an example for God’s people today (Matt. 6:12; Luke 13:34), WE CAN UNDERSTAND David’s hatred of their sins and his desire to protect Israel and its mission in the world.”
Praise: “Be Glorified, O Lord!” (vv. 30-36): “30 ¶ I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving. 31 And it will please the LORD better than an ox Or a young bull with horns and hoofs. 32 The humble have seen it and are glad; You who seek God, let your heart revive. 33 For the LORD hears the needy And does not despise His who are prisoners. 34 Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them. 35 For God will save Zion and build the cities of Judah, That they may dwell there and possess it. 36 The descendants of His servants will inherit it, And those who love His name will dwell in it.”
I think that one can see why David prayed the prayer that he prayed against his enemies when one reads the last section of this psalm, for in this section we see that David desires for Israel to be saved and then have the Lord build again the cities of Judah. This will happen in the 1000 year reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It is the desire of David to glorify the Lord even in the difficult times he was in when he penned this psalm (vv. 30-31). Dr. Wiersbe writes in conclusion to his commentary “He saw a day coming when the land would be united and healed and the cities populated again. ‘Pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ (122:6). ‘Even so, come, Lord Jesus!’ (Rev. 22:21)”
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I can understand how David felt when he prayed the way that he prayed against his enemies in this psalm. I also understand the importance of Israel in the world and as their King, David knew the importance of Israel in the world, knowing that through his line the Messiah would come and provide salvation for His people, and also one day reign over all the earth. There are times when I feel the same way about evil people in this world today and then I wonder how many people were praying for Saul of Tarsus before he became the Apostle Paul. I wonder if people were praying for Hitler or Stalin or people like that when the Bible says that we are to pray for those in authority over us. These are hard things to understand, but if God can save Saul, who by his own words said that he was the chief of sinners, then He can save anyone.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust that the Lord can answer all of my hard questions and give me contentment in His answers.
4/6/2012 9:05:49 AM
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