"But you, O Sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me." Psalm 109:21
David is one of those rare individuals who has a close enough relationship with God that he is able to let God know exactly how he feels about his enemies, and about what he'd like God to do to them. I must admit that I struggle some with letting my hair down as much as David does, and telling God, in no uncertain terms, the feelings I have about the trouble I've had with divisive or destructive people, or those bent on ruining God's work. I am not usually inclined to call upon God to deal with anyone with any other response, except for mercy.
Perhaps those suppressed feelings are really best laid upon God, rather than letting them ever ferment inside of us or trying so overly hard to be sensitive to wrongdoers. I do have a tendency to avoid conflict to a fault, and sometimes need to lead with principles that are not overshadowed by my sensitivity to troublemakers. Maybe I have a lesson to learn about venting to God. Maybe calling on God to judge keeps us from judging, or from letting God deal with whomever.
Then, after 20 verses of ranting and raging before God, David in verse 21 asks God to deal with Him out of love as His Sovereign God, and to treat Him well, and deliver Him. I presume deliver him from his enemies and not from his harsh retributive feelings. Maybe the key to this difficult passage is that David is dealing with the godless, who frankly are easier to deal with in many regards, than the spiritually weak or backslidden.
I know many of us get frustrated about those who struggle repeatedly so much, and seem to be mired down in abject rebellion (and with the godless, too, for that matter). Maybe no matter who or what it is, we should always share our harshest feelings with God. David’s feelings just happen to be published for all to read. We know his whole story and that he honestly, as a man after God's own heart, struggled within himself with a number of weaknesses. Such being the case, he feels he can just honestly vent to God and ask for His own blessings at the same time, too. God knows his heart, as well as He knows mine and yours.
I know many of us get frustrated about those who struggle repeatedly so much, and seem to be mired down in abject rebellion (and with the godless, too, for that matter). Maybe no matter who or what it is, we should always share our harshest feelings with God. David’s feelings just happen to be published for all to read. We know his whole story and that he honestly, as a man after God's own heart, struggled within himself with a number of weaknesses. Such being the case, he feels he can just honestly vent to God and ask for His own blessings at the same time, too. God knows his heart, as well as He knows mine and yours.
I will end today with David's words that close this Psalm in verses 30-31. "With my mouth I will greatly extol the Lord; in the great throng I will praise Him, for He stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him." Lay it all on God, He understands and will do the right thing always, in every respect.
With love, Pastor Fred
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