November 1
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DO NOT LET MY ENEMIES REJOICE OVER ME
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 people.
19 Do not let those who are wrongfully my enemies rejoice over me;
Nor let those who hate me for no reason 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, LORD, do not keep silent;
Lord, do not be far from me.
23 Stir Yourself, and awake to my right
And to my cause, my God and my Lord.
24 Judge me, LORD my God, according to Your righteousness,
And do not let them rejoice over me. – Psalm 35:17-24
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In this psalm, we hear David asking God to vindicate him from his enemies It sounded like he was confronting God to take action and not have a passive stand on what is going on in his life. In verse 17, he mentions lions which probably represents the fears he was facing and how fierce his enemies were at eating him up with fear. In verse 18, he faithfully promises God that he will thank Him publicly and among His people. In verse 19, we hear David confidently requesting God to not allow his enemies to mock and make fun of him nor any of those who plot evil against him triumph over him. In verse 20, he exposes further what these evil people do, they destroy peace and seek conflict amongst those who are God’s people. Verse 21 further declares what was done to him, they have seen his weaknesses and exposed it. In verse 22, David kept pleading God not be silent anymore and to come to his rescue. In verses 23-24, he confidently call on God to defend him and to examine him according to His righteousness, reminding God to not allow the enemy to trample on him.
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REFLECTION
• Why is it important to come to God to defend us? Why can’t we fight on our own?