There’s another one that’s all-wise an’ all-wonderful. That’s the hand guidin’ the game of life!”
–Zane Grey (Riders of the Purple Sage)
“Because for every matter there is a time and judgment, Though the misery of man increases greatly.”
–Ecclesiastes 8:6 (NKJV)
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Today we finish with Psalm 109. This portion contains some interesting information that can help us deal with life, and put trust in the Lord despite our circumstances.
20 — Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against my person.
21 — But You,O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22 — For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23 — I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 — My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25 — I also have become a reproach to them; when they look at me they shake their heads.
26 — Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 — That they may know that this is Your hand–that You, LORD, have done it!
28 — Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice.
29 — Let my accusers be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.
30 — I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
31 — For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those who condemn him. (NKJV)
David doesn’t hesitate, he went straight to the Lord for deliverance from false accusers. He asked for divine protection from the relentless attack against the evil coming at him. He seeks the Lord’s mercy and deliverance and through that the Lord would be glorified. One thing that stood out to me was that David proclaimed that he was “poor and needy.” For sure he could not have meant monetarily poor–that is, unless he no longer had the resources at hand. David may have been physically and emotionally without resources–this was when Absalom was threatening to take over the kingdom. Imagine, a son trying to overthrow their father. David’s heart was wounded, his strength was flowing from him. Where else could he turn to but the Lord?
Yes, there was another way he could turn, but David would never go there. Charles Spurgeon said, “God will not be absent when His people are on trial; He will stand in court as their advocate, to plead on their behalf. How different is this from the doom of the ungodly who has Satan [the accuser] at his right hand.” Satan appeals to some and they follow but when the chips are down there is nothing he can do to help them. Instead he sneers and laughs at their predicament and doom. The Lord is always there, as David well knows despite his mood and disposition. He knows that he can always depend upon Him.
“Let them curse,” he says knowing that it will only bring more of God’s blessing to him. Eventually they would force the hand of God to move on behalf of David. David says that he would then rejoice that he was on God’s side. David then ends this psalm with adoration and thanksgiving. God is standing at his right hand, in fact, He stands at the right hand of the poor and needy. He is their strong tower and defender. Steven Lawson points out that there are three parts to this Psalm: prayer–the injustice is committed to the Lord, and He is asked to deal with the person and situation; patience–we get so anxious and want to do things our way immediately and often do not give the Lord time to act. God is long-suffering we need to realize that; and finally, praise–David began and concluded this psalm with praise. “Do not let someone else douse cold water on your flaming love for God.” (Lawson)
We may not have an “Absalom” trying to overthrow us, but we have needs that seem to work on our minds, body, and soul. There may be areas of our lives in which we seem powerless and are weary and worn by them. We are a needy people–recognize that God is there to save us from those who condemn or accuse and that includes the devil.
“Poor and naked, sick and blind,
Bound fast in misery,
Friend of the needy, let me find
My help, my all in thee.”
–Charles Wesley
————————————-
Today we finish with Psalm 109. This portion contains some interesting information that can help us deal with life, and put trust in the Lord despite our circumstances.
20 — Let this be the LORD’s reward to my accusers, and to those who speak evil against my person.
21 — But You,O GOD the Lord, deal with me for Your name’s sake; because Your mercy is good, deliver me.
22 — For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.
23 — I am gone like a shadow when it lengthens; I am shaken off like a locust.
24 — My knees are weak through fasting, and my flesh is feeble from lack of fatness.
25 — I also have become a reproach to them; when they look at me they shake their heads.
26 — Help me, O LORD my God! Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 — That they may know that this is Your hand–that You, LORD, have done it!
28 — Let them curse, but You bless; when they arise, let them be ashamed, but let Your servant rejoice.
29 — Let my accusers be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own disgrace as with a mantle.
30 — I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.
31 — For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those who condemn him. (NKJV)
David doesn’t hesitate, he went straight to the Lord for deliverance from false accusers. He asked for divine protection from the relentless attack against the evil coming at him. He seeks the Lord’s mercy and deliverance and through that the Lord would be glorified. One thing that stood out to me was that David proclaimed that he was “poor and needy.” For sure he could not have meant monetarily poor–that is, unless he no longer had the resources at hand. David may have been physically and emotionally without resources–this was when Absalom was threatening to take over the kingdom. Imagine, a son trying to overthrow their father. David’s heart was wounded, his strength was flowing from him. Where else could he turn to but the Lord?
Yes, there was another way he could turn, but David would never go there. Charles Spurgeon said, “God will not be absent when His people are on trial; He will stand in court as their advocate, to plead on their behalf. How different is this from the doom of the ungodly who has Satan [the accuser] at his right hand.” Satan appeals to some and they follow but when the chips are down there is nothing he can do to help them. Instead he sneers and laughs at their predicament and doom. The Lord is always there, as David well knows despite his mood and disposition. He knows that he can always depend upon Him.
“Let them curse,” he says knowing that it will only bring more of God’s blessing to him. Eventually they would force the hand of God to move on behalf of David. David says that he would then rejoice that he was on God’s side. David then ends this psalm with adoration and thanksgiving. God is standing at his right hand, in fact, He stands at the right hand of the poor and needy. He is their strong tower and defender. Steven Lawson points out that there are three parts to this Psalm: prayer–the injustice is committed to the Lord, and He is asked to deal with the person and situation; patience–we get so anxious and want to do things our way immediately and often do not give the Lord time to act. God is long-suffering we need to realize that; and finally, praise–David began and concluded this psalm with praise. “Do not let someone else douse cold water on your flaming love for God.” (Lawson)
We may not have an “Absalom” trying to overthrow us, but we have needs that seem to work on our minds, body, and soul. There may be areas of our lives in which we seem powerless and are weary and worn by them. We are a needy people–recognize that God is there to save us from those who condemn or accuse and that includes the devil.
“Poor and naked, sick and blind,
Bound fast in misery,
Friend of the needy, let me find
My help, my all in thee.”
–Charles Wesley