A Psalm of David
1 Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.
2 Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.
3 Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.
4 Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt.
5 Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them.
6 Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.
7 For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul.
8 Let destruction come upon him at unawares: and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in His salvation.
10 All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto Thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
11 False witnesses did rise up: they laid to my charge things that I knew not.
12 They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling 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 returned into mine own bosom.
14 I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.
15 But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not: they did tear me, and ceased not:
16 With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.
17 Lord, how long wilt Thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.
18 I will give Thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise Thee among much people.
19 Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.
20 For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
21 Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.
22 This Thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me.
23 Stir up Thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, O LORD my God, according to Thy righteousness: and let them not rejoice over me.
25 Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up.
26 Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.
27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.
28 And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness and of Thy praise all the day long.
Each of three desperate pleas to God for help are followed up with a commitment to rejoice in God and praise Him for His salvation.
We feel vicious attacks from the enemies who are rallied against us. Sometimes we are overcome with grief and made weak from the perpetual attacks of these enemies from without and within. Then they take advantage of our weakness. In the midst of this oppression, we are not paralyzed into passivity. Our response is an aggressive, urgent, and piercing cry to God for His intervention and deliverance. And it is even more than this. Our cries for help are followed up with a confidence in God and plans to rejoice in His deliverance. Though we may not be delivered yet, we have full confidence that we will be delivered. Though we may not be rejoicing yet, we are making plans to rejoice because our deliverance is always near at hand.
First Appeal (Verses 1–10). The psalm opens with a cry for help from a man who is surrounded by his enemies. Oftentimes, the Christian struggles with identifying the true source and character of those enemies that would destroy him. These enemies may sometimes take on the form of flesh and blood, but more often they are doubts and fears, temptations and trials. It may be the enemy of his own flesh or the enemy of flesh of a brother in Christ that attacks him. Either way, he wants it mortified and crucified on the cross of Christ.
Christians are not to take vengeance against their enemies, but it is legitimate to turn the battle over to the Lord. There is a delicate balance struck in Scripture between loving our enemies and hating the flesh—between praying for those that despitefully use us and praying for their destruction. Some of those who read Scripture will selectively emphasize one principle of the Bible at the expense of other principles, prohibiting Christians from defending themselves against enemies that destroy body and soul. While a Christian should pray for his enemies and turn the other cheek when taking minor insults, God still calls him to fight for the cause of righteousness and to solicit God’s help in the warfare. So David prays that God would war against those that fight against him: that his enemies be put to shame and fall into their own traps.
The section ends with a statement of faith, as the Psalmist makes his plans to rejoice in the salvation provided by covenant-keeping Yahweh. With full confidence that God will follow through and deliver him from these enemies, he looks to the day that he can rejoice in that salvation. Then every bone in his body will leap to praise the Lord for His outstanding deliverance.
Second Appeal (Verses 11–18). In this second appeal, David describes in more specific detail the evils his enemies have brought down upon him. The situation described is all too common, but excruciatingly painful. What a shock it is when those whom you have counted friends, who have been the recipients of your kindness, prayers, hospitality, and heart, turn against you. Such abuse is especially common for God’s people who lead in the church or state. Treachery is the rule of the day, but nothing can prepare you for the day when your best friend turns into a Judas or an Alexander the Coppersmith.
David uses tender words to describe the deep love and concern he had for these his friends. But now these are the same friends who bring dreadful accusations against him with the intent to destroy him. To make matters worse, they even rejoice in his suffering. Acting like the ungodly who know nothing of the love of God, these members of the covenant community are downright cruel to this man of God. They mock him and gnash at him with their teeth.
Finally, the appeal crescendos with this almost pitiful cry, “Lord, how long will you stand back and look at my misery? Come, and rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.” Again, the Psalmist ends this appeal with a promise of faith. Today he may not be standing in the congregation of the saints praising his God, but one day he will be there. Today he may be sitting in jail awaiting a trial because a false brother raised evil accusations against him before the civil magistrate. But still he looks forward to the day when he will stand in the middle of the church, pouring out thanksgivings and praise to Yahweh, his God.
Third Appeal (Verses 19–28). The first four verses of this third appeal provide more detail concerning the modus operandi of the enemy in his deception, injustice, and mockery. But the bulk of this appeal is taken up with a variety of direct and persuasive prayers to Yahweh in quick succession:
“Don’t keep silence!
Stir up Yourself to judge my cause!
Judge my case! You are a just God.
Why would a just God let them get away with such
treachery?”
Finally, this appeal ends with a third song of faith in God’s salvation and a plan to praise Him. He is so sure of God’s deliverance that he will project a day and time when the righteous will see the deliverance and join together in shouts of joy and praise. Then he makes the commitment to speak of God’s justice and sing His praises all day long.
This psalm can be helpful to those who minister to others in the church or in the world, and are rewarded with evil. When you commit to serving Jesus and others, you should expect bad treatment from some quarters. The servant of Jesus must be prepared to suffer at the hands of men. Resolve right now that you will never be able to resolve these injustices yourself. You must always leave them in God’s hands. Your deliverance, your reward, your comfort, and your rejoicing can only come from the Lord. Our ultimate focus must not be on our enemies or even our vindication, it must be on praising the God who is perfectly holy, just, and good.
Worship returns us to the real focus of life. Our business in life is to praise God and live to His glory. God’s business is to take vengeance on our enemies. This psalm clarifies this important distinction. Our hearts should never wrap around the business of bringing retribution to our enemies. The passion of our lives and the desire of our hearts must be centered on coming back to give God the praise and the glory for all that He is and all that He has done in our world. Worship includes prayers of faith, appealing to God for deliverance from our enemies. These appeals are urgent, persuasive, and forceful. They are bold appeals, but not audacious and proud. They originate from humble hearts of faith. These cries for help are attended with statements of faith in God and praise for His marvelous deliverance. Faith always expects deliverance.
1. Give several examples of Deliverance psalms.
2. Who are our enemies?
3. Is it legitimate to ask God to destroy our enemies? Why or why not?
4. How many separate appeals are made in this psalm and how does the Psalmist close each appeal?
5. In the second appeal, who is it that has raised false witness against the Psalmist?
6. Give several examples of Praise psalms.
7. Which psalm contains the phrase, “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof: the world and they that dwell therein”?
1. Have people ever treated us badly? What is our response to that? What should our response be?
2. What is our focus in life? Do we work so that we can take vacations and watch movies? Or are we always looking forward to prayer and worship with God’s people?