Daily Devotion in Psalm 35

1611 AV Header from Psalms

Daily Nugget:
Some say David penned this Psalm while being persecuted by King Saul.  Whatever the situation, many of us have been in a similar position.  We also may have desired those who are making our lives miserable to be dealt with by God.

I would never pray, nor would the Lord honor such a prayer, I am sure, for the Lord to kill a person responsible for causing grief or harm.  The death of an unsaved person would be a terrible thing.  They would end up in Hell with no escape.  Although they may have harmed me or others, I would not want them dead.  However, I would wish God to deal with any wickedness, as King David did in this Psalm.

David begged God to:

 

 

David asked for God’s intervention in something he would or could not do.  Although Saul was wrong in pursuing David, David still remembered King Saul was God’s appointed leader.  David would not raise a hand against the King but asked God to do what He thought was right.

Evil forces have constantly been at work throughout history.  “Bad” and godless behavior have often tried to replace what is right. Those who were wronged frequently could not physically fight back, as happened to David.  However, one can defeat wrongdoing by summoning the Lord to do His will and way.

Have you found yourself in a similar situation where you are handicapped to change the situation?  Does it seem that wrong is triumphing over what is right?  Do as so many righteous people have done over the centuries: summon God’s intervention and sit back and wait to see what He will do!

Today’s Thought: 
“Wait in prayer.  Call on God and spread the case before Him.  Express your confidence in him.  Wait in faith, for unfaithful, untrusting waiting is an insult to the Lord.  Wait in quiet patience, not murmuring because you are under the affliction, but blessing God for it.” — C. H. Spurgeon
“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” Psalm 130:5

Words to Understand:
Abject: wicked, mean
Adversity: problems, tribulations
Buckler: a small shield
Chaff: a part of the grain that is worthless and is discarded
False witnesses: lying people whose dishonest testimony often convicts an innocent person
Gnashed:  grinding of teeth when one is angry or in pain
Sackcloth: a coarse material used for making sacks and often used to make clothing worn when one is mourning or very distraught

Today’s Reading:
Psalm 35
1 A Psalm of David. 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.