Tag Archives: Enemies

Singing with the King (68) – Context

I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1-2)

quietly wait Life often pulls us in opposite directions. Verse 2 in this Psalm is actually repeated by David in verse 6. And reading it, you may get the sense that David is patiently waiting on the LORD, just being still. But between verse 2 and 6 are verses 3 and 4, and here we discover the context:

So many enemies against one man— all of them trying to kill me. To them I’m just a broken-down wall or a tottering fence. They plan to topple me from my high position. They delight in telling lies about me. They praise me to my face but curse me in their hearts.

Think about this neck-wrenching turn David made—from peace and worship to murder and mayhem. Now granted, David was a godly king, and it seemed that somebody always had it out for him, including members of his own family! Then add border disputes, evil empires, jealousy in the courts, and it’s amazing that David got any God-time at all.

Now we don’t have nearly the notoriety, but we should still expect similar evils: Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12) There you go—something we have in common with David. But realize there is one greater with whom we have something in common: Jesus.

If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. (John 15:18-19)

So gather up your expectations and realize that persecution and hatred will be coming, just because we love Jesus. But because of that love we will, as David said, have victory.

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. (Romans 8:37)

Remember David’s context: regardless of the turmoil, regardless of the suffering, regardless of wicked words and evil actions—even in the midst of all these—we must turn our attention and worship to Him:

My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:7-8)

Singing with the King (63) – Too Late

O my God, scatter them like tumbleweed, like chaff before the wind! As a fire burns a forest and as a flame sets mountains ablaze, chase them with your fierce storm; terrify them with your tempest. Utterly disgrace them until they submit to your name, O Lord. Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace. Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth. (Psalm 83:13-18)

Normally I don’t quote so many verses in a single study—at least not in one place. I may angry mob spread them out over a number of days, pull Scripture from all over the Bible to show how consistent and clear God’s Word is. But in the above six verses, which are the last verses of this Psalm, there is just one simple thing to learn.

Sound familiar? 2700 years later you still have people making the same threats. But they forget about the same God, who loves His people Israel.

So the psalmist asks for God to scatter them, burn them, chase them, terrify them, and disgrace them, until they submit to His name. The apostle Paul makes a similar statement in Philippians chapter 2: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (vs. 9-11) Paul makes it clear that every knee shall bow and every tongue declare, regardless of your opinion of the LORD.

Asaph continues in his request to his God: “Let them be ashamed and terrified forever. Let them die in disgrace.” And then we learn the point of his request: “Then they will learn that you alone are called the Lord, that you alone are the Most High, supreme over all the earth.”

reject Jesus For those in Philippians 2 who must bow and confess, so it will be for the enemies of God in Psalm 83. It’s too late; they will be dead, but they will know who the LORD is. No chance to repent. No chance to believe and confess. No chance to find forgiveness.

For those of you who may have a similar attitude towards God the way His enemies do, please heed the following passage: “Behold, now is ‘The acceptable time,” behold, now is ‘The day of salvation’.” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Don’t become an enemy of God. Learn who the LORD is, while you still have breath, and then make today, right now, your day of salvation.

Singing with the King (14) – Payback

My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?” All who hate me whisper about me, imagining the worst. “He has some fatal disease,” they say. “He will never get out of that bed!” LORD, have mercy on me. (Psalm 41:5, 7, 8)

Deathbed

It’s no surprise David had his detractors and enemies, and the reasons for this are legion. Rival kings with their armies; rival worshipers of false gods; add to those adversaries, the Devil, and you have a full time battle on your hands while seeking to serve and worship the One True God.

But not all enemies are external and foreign. Some had walked within David’s halls; for many are those who would seek to serve themselves rather than the LORD; to have their own cronies in office rather than the LORD’s anointed. Righteousness is not where their interest lies.

Paul tells us in his second letter to Timothy, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” So persecution is the result of living a Godly life; therefore nothing in this Psalm is unexpected, until you get to verse 10: Make me well again, so I can pay them back! Wow… I didn’t see that coming. Not “Make me well so I can serve you”; or “Make me well so I can glorify You”. No, make me well so I can pay them back.

Does that make David wrong? No just a different covenant. Regardless of whether we are betrayed or persecuted; libeled, scandalized, or marginalized; we are told to love our enemies; to do good to them, and to pray for them (Matthew 5:43-46). That’s the path of righteousness we must take. The next time you suffer are the hands of an enemy, realize it is more about paying forward than paying back. You may be investing in them finding Christ. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16)