It's About Righteousness

Trusting God In Opposition

Read Psalm 35:1-16

David looks over his life, and he sees that there are people, who are not treating him, the same way, as when there was a time when the same people themselves were suffering.

It is a time, when what is at stake is David’s livelihood and his standing in life. The people who are now opposing him and pursuing him, even to death, at one time seemed to be in good relations to David, but it says in verse 16, that they “rejoiced at his stumbling, and they tore at him, and it seems like some of them, he did not have relations with (verse 15.

Earlier in these verses, we see that David had prayed for at least some of them in their struggles in life and their afflictions. But the fact that they did not return the favor, cause David to be in a sense of feeling loss.

This could be at a time, when David had his own struggles, and it obviously was, because he confesses, that “when he stumbled” that “they rejoiced”. Instead of helping him out and getting back on his feet.

This Psalm even turns into an imprecatory Psalm. David asking God to curse those who treat him this way. To have them be struck with what he himself was struck with, and to fall into the pit that they have prepared for him. David prays that destruction would come on his enemies. As a way to finally overcome them, in one sense for the injustice of their un-called-for behaviors.

David trusts God, and declares that God will, as his refuge, deliver him, from these people who are too strong for him to deal with.

Dealing With Our Own Problems

Read Psalm 35: 17 -26

David not only continues to relieve himself by placing all his inner and outer struggles, that he is facing with this situation, in the hands of God, and all the character traits and ways of those who are causing him extra problems in God’s hands. He places their intentions, and their efforts. But he also continues to ask God to cause their demise.

And David not only has to deal with his enemies, but he also has to deal with the fact that he has stumbled. It is one thing, to stumble, and to have to wait on the Lord to renew, you, but it is another thing to stumble and dually have it be somewhat public, and then have to wait for public deliverance and restoration. This could be a result of his sin with Bathsheba, it could be something else. cf. (when God said through Samuel that he would have constant wars as a result of his adultery)

Righteousness

Read Psalm 35:27-28,

English Standard Version Psalm 35

Let those who delight in my righteousness

shout for joy and be glad

and say evermore,

“Great is the LORD,

who delights in the welfare of his servant!”

28  Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all the day long.

As I looked at this Psalm, I found out a key point, that seems to tie this all in. The issue is righteousness. The people incensed against David, were after him, without any cause of purpose that would be reasonable. But the issue was, that David had righteousness before God. He was forgiven, and God restored him, but in this situation he stumbled possibly in some manner we don’t know about, and people were hoping the worst for him. But God saw him as faithful, and one who was waiting on God for restoration. David refers to those who “rejoice in his righteousness”- something these people who oppose him, did not do.

The enemies of David, as we see all throughout the Psalms, were opposed to the cause that David represented. They opposed, without cause, David, because they opposed righteousness. They were actually similar to enemies of God. They didn’t really hate David, so much as righteousness, which he represented.

And this deliverance from God, will result in God being praised by David.