David Cried Out: “Lord Deliver Me From Evil men”…
Psalm 140
A desperate cry for justice
At times like this David looked to God for justice:
There is almost nothing worse than being falsely accused of a crime or indiscretion.
Not only is it difficult to prove your innocence, but your name is tarnished.
This is the kind of situation David faced.
He was confronted by people who used their cunning, intelligence, and social connections to try to bring him down (vv. 1–2).
Their attacks against him came in the form of lies, “the poison of vipers is on their lips” (v. 3). Like skillful hunters, they laid traps and snares to catch him (v. 5).
These sort of lessons in life, for the born-again believer, shows us that our trials and tribulations come not to defeat us, but rather they cause us to grow stronger in Christ!
The storms of life will either make us or break us.
They will either mold us into the person God wants us to be, or they cause us to lose heart and crumble.
Fiery trials either drive the believer closer to God, or they drive him farther away.
But no one ever remains the same after experiencing a severe distress.
Affliction either softens the believer or sours him.
It either makes him better or makes him bitter.
This is the powerful effect of trials upon our spiritual lives.
All believers go through storms, but none pass through them unchanged.
David seemed to live most of his days submerged in the fiery trials of life.
In Psalm 140 we find David’s prayer for deliverance from the plots and profanities of impious men.
This is no small trial David faces. Yet, in the midst of all his trouble, this affliction actually drives him closer to God.
In this painful ordeal David calls upon God with a sense of great urgency, and God hears him.
We should ask God to free us not only from evil people, but also from the “evil one”–Satan.
As our greatest enemy, he seeks to trap and destroy us; but his power is no match for God’s (see Mt 4:10, note; Mt 6:13).
As ungodly people slander and attack God (139:19–21), so they slander and attack David (140:1–5).
David calls for their destruction (139:19; 140:9–11).
Using “Selah,” David divides Ps 140 into four parts.
In the first two sections, he presents parallel cries to God for protection against those who falsely assail his character (140:1–3) or set traps to ruin him (140:4–5).
In section three (140:6–8), he appeals to God for help—making the basis of his appeal their personal relationship.
David concludes (140:9–13) with an imprecation against his attackers, basing his appeal to God on his needs and godly character.
And so David was praying here for God’s strength when he felt overwhelmed.
God will always give us the endurance we need to face whatever situation life brings us.
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Life Lessons…
God is the God who follows. I wonder . . . have you sensed Him following you?
We often miss Him. . . . We don’t know our Helper when He is near.
But he comes.
Through the kindness of a stranger. The majesty of a sunset. The mystery of romance.
Through the question of a child or the commitment of a spouse.
Through a word well spoken or a touch well timed, have you sensed His presence?
If so, then release your doubts. Set them down. Be encumbered by them no longer.
You are no candidate for insecurity. You are no longer a client of timidity.
You can trust God. He has given His love to you; why don’t you give your doubts to Him?
Not easy to trust, you say? Maybe not, but neither is it as difficult as you think.
Try these ideas: Trust your faith and not your feelings.
You don’t feel spiritual each day? Of course you don’t.
But your feelings have no impact on God’s presence.
On the days you don’t feel close to God, trust your faith and not your feelings.
Goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.
Measure your value through God’s eyes, not your own.. . .
There are times in our lives when we are gangrels—homeless, disoriented, hard to help, and hard to love.
In those seasons remember this simple fact:
God loves you. He follows you. Why?
Because you are family, and He will follow you all the days of your life.
See the big picture, not the small. . . .
Perhaps your home and health have been threatened.
The immediate result might be pain. But the long-term result might be finding a Father you never knew.
A Father who will follow you all the days of your life. (From Traveling Light by Max Lucado)
Selah (let us pause and calmly think about these things)
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Tuesday, May 24
Today in the Word
I Lift Up My Eyes
(A Study in Psalms – Book 5)
GOD OF JUSTICE
Psalm 140
There is almost nothing worse than being falsely accused of a crime or indiscretion.
Not only is it difficult to prove your innocence, but your name is tarnished.
For many people in this position, their reputation is permanently damaged.
This is the kind of situation David faced.
He was confronted by people who used their cunning, intelligence, and social connections to try to bring him down (vv. 1–2).
Their attacks against him came in the form of lies, “the poison of vipers is on their lips” (v. 3).
Like skillful hunters, they laid traps and snares to catch him (v. 5).
People have not changed much since David’s day.
They still attack one another with malicious words.
In this age of social media, verbal attacks have become common and damaging.
What does faithfulness to God look like when we are attacked?
David turned to God in prayer.
He vividly described his situation to God knowing that God cared about him and about the truth.
He confessed that God was his most secure refuge,
“you shield my head in the day of battle” (v. 7).
He prayed that his enemies’ plans would fail (v. 8).
More than that, he prayed that their evil actions would rebound upon them (v. 9).
It is important to note that David is expressing his anger to God, but leaves the results in God’s hands.
His ultimate desire was not for wanton cruelty toward his enemies, but that justice would be done (v. 12).
We can be confident today that every evil ever committed will either be justly forgiven because of Christ’s sacrifice, if the perpetrator turns to God in repentance and faith, or will be justly punished.
Nothing escapes God’s notice.
The psalms help us express our emotions to God, feelings of joy, sorrow, and even anger.
Even after this study is complete, try reading one psalm every day.
Use the Psalms during your prayer time, to help you turn to God in every situation.
Pray with Us
When You created humanity, You said it was very good.
Our emotions are part of that good design.
May we learn neither to exalt nor deny them, but to accept them as they are, knowing that You remain God in our joy and in our sorrow.
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