Hey All,
This week we continue to look at the Psalms. David is clearly experiencing some issues with his neighbors but he is obedient to the Lord in following the 8th commandment and falling to his knees trusting in the Lord to fight his battles. So let’s press a little deeper in how this can benefit us…..
Psalm 28
Psalm 28:1-2 To You, O Lord, I call; My rock, do not be deaf to me, For if You are silent to me, I will become like those who go down to the pit. Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help, When I lift up my hands toward Your Holy sanctuary.
David calls the Lord his Rock and yet he shows his vulnerability saying that if he doesn’t hear from the Lord it will affect his confidence. This reminded me of another who Jesus called His “Rock” Peter. Yet for all his boldness he to often felt low especially after the rooster crowed the 3rd time. I think we all go through times when we are the Rock and we boldly step out for the Lord and with the Lord our back. We know just as David prayed, that God always hears our prayers as it says in 1 John 5:14 This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will He hears us.
Psalm 28:3-5 Do not drag me away with the wicked, And with those who work with iniquity, Who speak peace with their neighbors, While evil is in their hearts. Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices; Requite them according to the deeds of their hands; Repay them their recompense. Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, Nor the deeds of His hands, He will tear them down and not build them up.
In verse 3 we see that David is praying for his neighbors, who speak well of their neighbors, yet their actions don’t match their words. As we learned in the 8th commandment we are to speak well of our neighbor and do everything we can to build them up with words and actions. Ephesians 4:25 Therefore laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. When we see our neighbors not acting in this manner David reminds us that God will take care of the situation. To “Requite” means to “make and appropriate return” for either and act of kindness or wrong doing. When David says “Requite” them according to their work and to the evil of their practices, he is asking God not to forget to “make an appropriate repayment” for the wrong doing being done. To repay them for their “recompense” means to repay them for the “loss or harm that was suffered”. I think of how many times we want to take the repayment of wrong doing into our own hands, yet David quietly reminds us that it is Gods will to take care of this. Paul also reminded us in Romans 12:19 Never take your own revenge beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay says the Lord.
Psalm 28:6-9 Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication, The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped, Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him. The Lord is their strength, And He is a saving defense to His anointed. Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.
Finally, David closes thanking God for hearing his prayer and fighting his battles. David knows that his God is all powerful and he trusts that God will not only take care of him but bless him as long as they follow him as a shepherd leads the sheep. This reminded me of my confirmation voice John 10: 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
So to wrap up
Father God thank you for this reminder that we cannot do things on our own. We daily need your help to fight our battles. Lord you know our hearts and you know our needs. Help us to be focused on You for everything that we need so that the petty things that are thrown in our way to distract us daily from doing your will, do not even cause us to blink because if we have You we need nothing else. Amen? AMEN!
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