Psalms 31-35; there seems to be an underlining theme for many of the Psalms that David writes. They are interlaced with times of crying out to God for vindication from his enemies and praise to the Father for His deliverance from his enemies. Often it appears that David pleads his case to God based on an innocence” in his actions and thoughts. So, we are to think that David is innocent of any wrong doing. Now I have read enough about David and know that there are two sides to him. There is the side that praises and worships God from a pure heart. He is after all call “a man after God’s own heart.” Yet there are other stories besides Bathsheba and his adultery that reflect that David was anything but perfect. I am not trying to say that David is without just cause for asking the LORD to take care of his enemies, but why does David want his enemies destroyed; because they are against him and don’t like him, is his life in danger? How does all of this vindictiveness bode with what we read in Mathew 5:1-12? It that there is a conflict. Are we as believers to pray against on enemies, those that would mean us harm? Where is the compassion and love that exudes from what Jesus says in “loving our enemies, pray for those who disrespectfully misuse you?” In Psalm 35, there is a definite tone of “God get’em” for me from David. It seems that maybe David is really telling God exactly what is on his heart – transparency? How many of us are willing to really let God hear what we are truly feeling about people, events and adversaries?
Earlier in Psalm 34 we have David crying out to the LORD, he is over come by those that would do him harm. “Fear” is often used in this Psalm. There is crying, fear and praising all in the same Psalm. In the beginning of the Psalm David is rejoicing and praising God. He then quickly pens about how there are those that seek his life. Then we find a semi-confort in the words of refuge, and how the angels come to defend him. There is the praise of God for those blessings given to people who find their “salvation n God. How are we to understand this roller coaster of emotions and thoughts? Simply, isn’t David just reflecting in words those thought s of everyday living? Do we not all have the ups and downs of life?
We praise the LORD in the good times and we lament in the sad/bad times – how many of our inner thoughts stay right there? Do we not have a compassionate “listener” in Jesus? Oh what joy we often forfeit, because we do not take it to the Lord in Prayer. Please I am not advocating that we pray down the wrath of God on everyone who does wrong to us. But rather than whine about the discomfort and injustice; let’s take it to the Lord. I did notice that within the same Psalm , there is crying before the LORD, there is Praising God for His strength, justice and deliverance, as well as the righteous living of David before the Lord.
On a side note – there is a lot of language in Psalm 35 that reflects the way Jesus was treated before his enemies and the mockery they made of Him as He went to the cross. “Like a sheep before his shearers, He said not a word.” – Just saying
preachbetweenthelines 