READING: Psalms 108-109
“Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your faithful love so they may know
that this is your hand and that you, Lord, have done it.”
Psalm 109:26-27
Psalm 109 is a difficult passage. It’s the cry of a righteous man who wants God to bring punishment on his unrighteous enemies. While the words often seem harsh to us, they’re essentially the psalmist asking God to exact justice on sinners, to allow the repercussions of their sin to work their full effect on them. They are a reminder to us that God is just, that ongoing sinfulness brings penalty, and that justice ultimately rests in God’s hands. Surely God would deal with the enemies of the psalmist.
What grabs my attention today, though, are the first verses of this psalm: “For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues. They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause. In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray. They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love” (Psa. 109:2-5). From the psalmist’s own words, we get the sense that he was righteous—that he offered love and good to those who would be his enemies. He had apparently given them no reason to stand against him as they did. Still, they attacked him without reason, accused him, and hated him.
This psalm shows us that righteous people sometimes face unfair, critical, even vicious enemies (even as Jesus did). We might love with all our being, and still some turn against us. False accusations fall from their lips. Unjustified hatred drives their actions and decisions. It’s almost hard to believe how much they oppose our work – and against that backdrop we are to remain praying people and trust God to bring justice.
ACTION STEPS:
- If you face opposition today, turn to God. Give Him your heart.
- Be fully faithful to God today, even if others turn against you.
PRAYER: “Help me, Lord, to turn to You and trust You to carry out justice.”
TOMORROW'S READING: 1 Chronicles 23-26
