After the
epigraph, which helps to set the specific context of this psalm, this short,
seven-verse psalm gets right after it. There is no gradual build-up, no
extended metaphors or subtle poetry. David had a problem and was quite
direct in his prayer to the only one who could save him.
Photo by Arif Riyanto on Unsplash
The initial epigram
reminds us that the Ziphites took David’s personal information and sold it on
the dark web to the bad actor, King Saul. They did it twice! The first time was
recorded in 1 Samuel 23.
Then the Ziphites went
up to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds
at Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon? Now
come down, O king, according to all your heart's desire to come down, and
our part shall be to surrender him into the king's hand.” (1 Sam. 23:19-20)
King Saul
commended them for this breach and asked them to keep spying on David
(v.22-24). This information dump allowed Saul to hotly pursue David ‘round the
mountain until reports of a Philistine raid arrived and Saul had to break off
the chase. David named that place seh'-lah hammakh-lek-oth' or “The rock
of escape.”
A Ziph-like shot of the Judean Mts. Photo: Greg K. Dueker2011
Later, in 1
Samuel 26, the Ziphites informed Saul about David again.
Then the Ziphites came
to Saul at Gibeah, saying, “Is not David hiding himself on the hill of
Hachilah, which is on the east of Jeshimon?” So Saul arose and went down
to the wilderness of Ziph with three thousand chosen men of Israel to
seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul encamped on the hill of
Hachilah, which is beside the road on the east of Jeshimon. But David remained
in the wilderness. (1 Sam. 26:1-3)
The Ziphites, by
their treachery, violated the universal law of hospitality they should have
kept toward the anointed one who lived in their midst. Understandably, David felt
utterly betrayed, yet his focus was on the help of the Lord being better than
the help of humanity.
From the beginning
of this psalm, he mentions “your name” in parallel with “your might” as
the answer to his cry for salvation and longing to be heard.
If God doesn’t do
anything in answer to our prayers, then why would David pray so fervently that
God would hear his prayer? He prayed that God would “hear” his prayer and give
ear to his words because he fully believed that when God hears us, he acts as
is natural for him to act—by saving his people, sharing his goodness, and
bringing justice down upon the wicked! As I was thinking about the parallel
structure of David’s request in v.2, “Hear my prayer/ give ear to the words of my mouth” it caused me to
wonder how much of what we say is prayer and even how much of what we say do we
want the Lord to hear? Ouch! Instead of ignoring God in my speech, what if “all
the words of my mouth” were a prayer?
Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash
In v.3 the
psalmist refers to “strangers/ ruthless men” … not so much foreign adversaries
but those in Israel who did not practice the protective hospitality of God. Instead,
they seek to kill the supplicant, which in this case was the young pre-king David.
Why would they be so unneighborly? I would say it was the natural result of
their selfishness… “They do not set God before themselves.”
Will we struggle alone
trusting our own strength and wisdom to contend for our rights, the respect we
feel we deserve, and even a good return on our retirement accounts? Or will we
like David trust God to be our “helper/upholder” (v.4)?
Photo by Maël BALLAND on Unsplash
Behold, God is my helper;
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
Being a helper is not
just women’s work (as some misinterpret Gen 2:18,20) it is the faithful work of
God! We need more warrior-helpers today! We can all appreciate those who encourage
us in our difficulties with their words and actions. What if we, as the body of
Christ, were more concerned about upholding others than knocking them down?
Some people are evil and thus unjust.
Some show themselves to be our enemies, but it is not our job to destroy them,
God will bring their wicked plans back upon them. Their evil intentions
will come back to bite them... hard! This is less a Davidic imprecation than a statement of fact about how God works in the lives of his people.
He will return the evil to my enemies;
in your faithfulness put an end to them.
(v.5)
I am reminded of a verse in Proverbs that
says, “Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in
its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight.” (Prov. 26:2) In
their case there is cause in abundance!
The psalmist
confidently declares that he will worship the Lord in an overflow of gratitude
for deliverance… even though the deliverance has not happened yet. Let us not
miss the “freewill offering” aspect of v. 6. The psalmist sees such sacrificial giving
as joyful worship, not a begrudgingly compliant obligation.
With a freewill
offering I will sacrifice to you;
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good. (v.6)
If we wait for everything to be perfect before we worship with our giving, it will likely never happen. There will always be one more problem to face, one more crisis to conquer, one more debt to pay, one more day to wait. The blessing available to us is that we can enter into victorious living even amid hardship if we choose a life of generous gratitude! We can enter the joy of the Lord right now! To this point, Paul commended the glad generosity of the Philippian church in Macedonia who gave despite severe circumstances.
We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord… (2 Cor. 8:1-3)
In concluding my
comments on this psalm, I would say that once we confess, pray, put our trust
in the Lord, gratefully worship, and by faith see the future victory we should not forget our testimony.
We should be bold in telling the good things that God has done for us. Even if
today’s issue has not yet been resolved in our experience, we can testify to how
God has delivered us in the past.
For he has delivered me from every
trouble,
and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.
(v.7)
What the enemy intends for evil, God in his amazing love can coopt and use for good. Waiting is hardly ever enjoyable, but trusting the Lord can smuggle contentment into almost any difficulty... even this election season.
How will we prepare
for the coming week? 
Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash
Will we proactively ask for God’s help?
Will we talk to the Lord about all that is happening in our lives?
Will we respond to the challenges we face this week by committing them to the Lord’s justice and mercy?
I hope so.
