Greatness.
Psalm 35:1-10TPT
Ron wasn't having a good week. His new job had thrust him in the midst of some people who were foul mouth, rude, and obnoxious.
Ron is one tough guy, but after two months of working in that environment, he wasn't sure he could tolerate any more ungodly, uncouth (lacking good manners) behavior.
Ron is by no means alone. Perhaps you too are in an environment that is not friendly to godliness either at work, at home, or elsewhere.
In Psalm 35:1, we can read, 3 poetic Psalm of prayer. The first one is what I want us to concentrate on, and consider.
It’s a prayer over David’s enemies. I love the realness of King David!
Remember, in David’s brief life, he was mocked, Be-rated, and spoken to as the youngest son. He had every reason to be negative, to hide under daddies covering. Jesse was wise though, He would not allow David privileged dependence.
David was a shepherd, so he quickly studied his enemies. He was practiced with his stones and sling. He stayed low keyed at times.
At that place, David song and wrote. He spent a lot of nights listening to his flock, and His God. David had his share of battle’s, He had fought and won over a bear, and a lion.
He took on Goliath, with complete trust in his God. King David wasn’t short on confidence.
1 John 5:14KJV And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us:
Proverbs 14:26KJV In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
David had one big problem. His family of origin, was tainted with hard-core family problems. It was traceable. In the center of all this and more, King David prayed this powerful prayer over his enemies.
Psalm 35:1-10TPT O Lord, fight for me! Harass the hecklers; accuse my accusers. Fight those who fight against me. 2–3 Put on your armor, Lord; take up your shield and protect me. Rise up, mighty God! Grab your weapons of war
and block the way of the wicked who come to fight me. Stand for me when they stand against me! Speak over my soul: “I am your strong Savior!” 4 Humiliate those who seek my harm. Defeat them all! Frustrate their plans to defeat me and drive them back. Disgrace them all as they have devised their plans to disgrace me. 5 Blow them away like dust in the wind, with the angel of Almighty God driving them back! 6 Make the road in front of them nothing but slippery darkness, with the angel of Yahweh behind them, chasing them away! 7 For though I did nothing wrong to them, they set a trap for me, wanting me to fail and fall. 8 Surprise them with your ambush, Lord, and catch them in the very trap they set for me. Let them be the ones to fail and fall into destruction! 9 Then my fears will dissolve into limitless joy; my whole being will overflow with gladness because of your mighty deliverance. 10 Everything inside of me will shout it out: “There’s no one like you,
Lord!” For look at how you protect the weak and helpless from the strong and heartless who oppress them.
It seems that this psalm was written during the time of David’s flight from Saul. Much of his suffering during that time was because of the false accusations made against him by influential people in Saul’s court.
The first thing that impresses me about these verses, is the fact that, David places everything into the Lord’s hand.
Verse 1, O Lord fight for me!
David tells God to fight for him, to go before him and to set traps for his enemies.
2 Chronicles 20:1-3KJV It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.
3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.
A fast isn’t so much about the Lord moving on your behalf, as it is, you moving toward God. Hearing, His voice.
2 Chronicles 20:21-22KJV And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, “Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.”
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
Because of obedience and praise, The Lord attacked and assaulted Jehoshaphat’s enemies.
Secondly, the words that David uses are strong, He’s believing for total deliverance.
Psalm 35:4-6TLB Dishonor those who are trying to kill me. Turn them back and confuse them. 5 Blow them away like chaff in the wind—wind sent by the Angel of the Lord. 6 Make their path dark and slippery before them, with the Angel of the Lord pursuing them.
Romans 12:19NKJV Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
Thirdly, David’s words benefited him. Even though his words are strong he leaves the matters in the Lord’s hand.
Psalm 35:9-10TLB But I will rejoice in the Lord. He shall rescue me! 10 From the bottom of my heart praise rises to him. Where is his equal in all of heaven and earth? Who else protects the weak and helpless from the strong, and the poor and needy from those who would rob them?
If you’re being harassed or you have to listen to foul talk all day. Here are some suggestions that may help you survive and even thrive:
Concentrate on God’s goodness, and depend on it.
Nahum 1:7NKJV The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
God brings greatness to us and, out of us!
Jonah 2:7TLB “When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord. And my earnest prayer went to you in your holy Temple.
Ask Jonah, and he would answer— “I forgot about my living situation, inside the belly of a whale, and I got lost in God’s presence!”
When you feel hopeless, choose to think about the one thing you know will lift your spirit: the goodness of God.
How did Jonah do it? “When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the Lord”
That’s the answer to hopelessness! You turn your thoughts to God. You think about his goodness, his greatness, his love, his fairness, and his kindness.
Corrie ten Boom, a survivor of the Nazi death camps, once said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.”
The Bible states, it’s the goodness of God that lead us to salvation—Romans 2:4.
2. Stay true to your convictions.
The Bible states in Daniel 1, Daniel refused to give in when he was surrounded by the ungodly.
Daniel 1:3-5,8,NIV Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility— 4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. 5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
To thine on-self be true. Your convictions can make you into greatness.
3. Immerse yourself in the Bible.
"Listen to God’s word, believe God’s word, Do God’s word, and you will live abundantly.” P.H
Psalm 119:49-50TPT Lord, never forget the promises you’ve made to me, for they are my hope and confidence. 50 In all of my affliction I find great comfort in your promises, for they have kept me alive!
4. Do good to those who oppress you.
Jesus spoke in Matthew 5:44TPT However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you, and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them.
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” ?C.S. Lewis
5. Trust God to be your companion.
James 2:23ESV and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"—and he was called a friend of God.
Hebrews 13:5… he will never leave you. And he won't forsake you.
“When it's just you and God, that's enough; You and God make a majority.” P.H
Remember this, With God behind you and his arms beneath you, you can face whatever is before you.
Benedition.
