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12-30-2007, 04:53 AM
PRAY
"O give us patience...in adversity, strengthen our weakness, comfort us in...distress ..." (Miles Covendale).
READ
Psalm 35:1-28
[1] Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. [2] Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. [3] Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." [4] May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. [5] May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away; [6] may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them. [7] Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, [8] may ruin overtake them by surprise- may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin. [9] Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. [10] My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD ? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." [11] Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. [12] They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. [13] Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, [14] I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. [15] But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing. [16] Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked ; they gnashed their teeth at me. [17] O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. [18] I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. [19] Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. [20] They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land. [21] They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it." [22] O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. [23] Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. [24] Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me. [25] Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up." [26] May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. [27] May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant." [28] My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
NIV
MEDITATE
"Pain can make us either bitter or better" (Tim Hansel).
We have to wait until the end of this psalm for any sense of relief. For 26 verses we are confronted with a long complaint, a plea for justice and vindication which expresses little hope. We are drawn into the psalmist's own blackness, isolation and depression. His friends have turned against him. Those to whom he had been a tower of strength in their need now exploit his weakness. Thinking of them, he wants revenge. This psalm does not legitimize feelings of anger and a desire for vengeance: Jesus' requirement that we love our enemies and his example of forgiveness call us to a different way. But it does recognize the reality of fallen humanity and of failure along the way, encouraging us to be true to what we actually feel and to express it to God.
We don't quite know how to handle this - and we certainly don't find songs like this in our hymn books. Israel did not have such a problem. The psalms allow for both praise and pain - often side by side. The consequence of our way of thinking is that we drive a wedge between the two. Praise is for the corporate gatherings of the church - pain and complaint are removed to another, frequently secular, realm. Our relationship with God is thus allowed to touch only a part of our lives. Our inability to bring complaint to our worship is unhealthy, sometimes literally so, as we repress feelings we consider to be inappropriate. We need to be preserved from worship that is too remote from the realities of daily life, and look for worship that is real, relevant and incorporating pain and questions as well as praise, thanksgiving and celebration. This sort of worship might be more meaningful to hurting people and make more of an impact on a broken world.
APPLY
Be honest with God about any feelings that reading this psalm has stirred in you. Bring any pain or anxiety you feel to him in prayer, asking for courage and trust.
PRAY
Lord, this year of 2007 has brought pain, but also blessing, making me aware of the greatness of my God. Increase my faith and trust as I face a new year.
Encounter With God
"O give us patience...in adversity, strengthen our weakness, comfort us in...distress ..." (Miles Covendale).
READ
Psalm 35:1-28
[1] Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. [2] Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. [3] Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." [4] May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. [5] May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away; [6] may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them. [7] Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, [8] may ruin overtake them by surprise- may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin. [9] Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. [10] My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD ? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." [11] Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about. [12] They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. [13] Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, [14] I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. [15] But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing. [16] Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked ; they gnashed their teeth at me. [17] O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. [18] I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you. [19] Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. [20] They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land. [21] They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it." [22] O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. [23] Awake, and rise to my defense! Contend for me, my God and Lord. [24] Vindicate me in your righteousness, O LORD my God; do not let them gloat over me. [25] Do not let them think, "Aha, just what we wanted!" or say, "We have swallowed him up." [26] May all who gloat over my distress be put to shame and confusion; may all who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and disgrace. [27] May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant." [28] My tongue will speak of your righteousness and of your praises all day long.
NIV
MEDITATE
"Pain can make us either bitter or better" (Tim Hansel).
We have to wait until the end of this psalm for any sense of relief. For 26 verses we are confronted with a long complaint, a plea for justice and vindication which expresses little hope. We are drawn into the psalmist's own blackness, isolation and depression. His friends have turned against him. Those to whom he had been a tower of strength in their need now exploit his weakness. Thinking of them, he wants revenge. This psalm does not legitimize feelings of anger and a desire for vengeance: Jesus' requirement that we love our enemies and his example of forgiveness call us to a different way. But it does recognize the reality of fallen humanity and of failure along the way, encouraging us to be true to what we actually feel and to express it to God.
We don't quite know how to handle this - and we certainly don't find songs like this in our hymn books. Israel did not have such a problem. The psalms allow for both praise and pain - often side by side. The consequence of our way of thinking is that we drive a wedge between the two. Praise is for the corporate gatherings of the church - pain and complaint are removed to another, frequently secular, realm. Our relationship with God is thus allowed to touch only a part of our lives. Our inability to bring complaint to our worship is unhealthy, sometimes literally so, as we repress feelings we consider to be inappropriate. We need to be preserved from worship that is too remote from the realities of daily life, and look for worship that is real, relevant and incorporating pain and questions as well as praise, thanksgiving and celebration. This sort of worship might be more meaningful to hurting people and make more of an impact on a broken world.
APPLY
Be honest with God about any feelings that reading this psalm has stirred in you. Bring any pain or anxiety you feel to him in prayer, asking for courage and trust.
PRAY
Lord, this year of 2007 has brought pain, but also blessing, making me aware of the greatness of my God. Increase my faith and trust as I face a new year.
Encounter With God