Christ Our Salvation

Introduction

We’ve come this morning to a difficult Psalm. A difficult subgroup of Psalms. Psalm 35 is part of a small collection of Psalms called “Imprecatory Psalms.” There are only a few other Psalms in the Psalter that fit within this subgroup. Psalm 7, Psalm 58, Psalm 69, Psalm 109, and a few others.

Now, what makes this Psalm difficult to not only read but also difficult to then know what to do with it comes into a clearer picture when we understand that the word, “imprecation” literally means “to curse.” And so, these Imprecatory Psalms, mostly written by David are a written recording of his desire for God to curse his enemies. And David doesn’t hold back at all. In Psalm 58, David asks God to “break the teeth” in his enemies’ mouths. In Psalm 69, he asks God to “blot out his enemies from the book of the living.” – Just wipe them from the earth.

In Psalm 109, listen to what David says of one specific enemy of his.

Psalm 109:8-12, May his days be few; may another take his office! May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow! May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit! May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil! Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!

Let’s just pause here for a second. Does anyone think that’s odd that those words are found in our holy Scriptures? But they are. They’re there. Inspired words from the Holy Spirit.

Now words like these make us probably, somewhat uncomfortable because that’s not what we’re familiar with of how God calls us to live or to treat our enemies.

For those of us who have maybe a church background or a familiarity with Scriptures are probably calling to mind passages like what Jesus said in Luke 6, “”Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.”

Or maybe Romans 12:20 where the apostle Paul says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”

Or what the apostle Peter says in 1 Peter 3:9, “Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called.”

So, what’s going on here with David in these Psalms? Is he having a bad day? Does he need to calm down? Is he reacting sinfully?

Let me be clear then. I’m not saying there’s a contradiction here with what David says and how we’re called to live as Christ followers. David is not in sin as he prays these imprecatory prayers. And I’ll seek to unpack why in just a few moments.

And so, the question before us this morning is how do we handle imprecatory psalms? Should we pray the imprecatory psalms?

Six years ago, if you remember, and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the image of those 21 Christian men from Egypt being marched onto a beach in Libya by ISIS and executed for no other reason than that they were Christ followers. It was an evil and horrific act. They are clearly enemies of Christ. They are clearly enemies of the gospel and the church. Should we be praying the imprecatory psalms against them?

How do we handle this? Especially knowing that as Christians, that we were once enemies of God.

Colossians 1:21, And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.

But through Christ, and faith in his life, his death, his resurrection have been redeemed and restored.

Colossians 1:22, But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him. (CSB)

We have been called now to love our neighbors, to pray for those who seek to persecute us, to do good to those who do evil toward us. Our mission is to proclaim and expand the gospel to all nations, not to seek destruction upon those who are not part of the church. So, is it right for us, like David to identify an enemy upon which we call down God’s curses? Can we pray these prayers?

I believe we can, given a right understanding of them and a right heart attitude. However, ultimately, what we want to see through these imprecatory psalms is the deliverance we have received from our greatest enemy; sin.

Main Point: Since Christ on the cross endured all pain, suffering, betrayal, and rejection on our behalf we can rest in a hope that God has dealt with injustice and sin, with our enemies and will one day make all things new again.

And so, briefly here so we can dig into the meat of this text today, let’s understand what David was doing. What’s the right way of reading David’s prayer and the wrong way?

Let’s diffuse the wrong ways first.

1. This wasn’t a character flaw in David.

David wasn’t bitter, he wasn’t vindictive. We don’t look at these Psalms and think if David would have just been a better man, then he wouldn’t have prayed these prayers.

This doesn’t square with what we know of David.

God himself calls him a man after his own heart in 1 Samuel 13. When God was seeking a new leader over Israel because Israel’s first king, Saul was failing and wicked, he said, the next king, the next leader will be someone after my own heart, and he chose David.

Now, David wasn’t perfect of course, but his character and reputation was one that showed grace, humility, and love.

2. We can’t seek to separate Old Testament language and New Testament language.

What I mean by this is we can’t fall into the trap that causes us to think that the Old Testament language is filled with God’s justice, vengeance, and anger and that’s all it is and then in the New Testament God calms down and focuses more on grace, forgiveness, and love.

Don’t pit the two against each other. Both the OT and NT are the inspired word of God from beginning to end and our God does not change. Who he is now is who he has always been and will always be. How comforting is that?

When Jesus taught on loving our neighbor, the second greatest commandment, he wasn’t teaching anything new. He was quoting from the OT. Specifically in Leviticus 19.

Leviticus 19:18, You shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.

In Deuteronomy God’s people are told to not take revenge. (Deut. 32:35)

In the Proverbs, Solomon says, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink.” (Prov. 25:21).

God sent Jonah to the Assyrians, a wicked and evil people calling on them to repent. And if you know the story, Jonah did not want to go. He loathed the Assyrians. They were his enemies and so he ran until finally God chased him down and he went, and an entire nation repented and received mercy. And Jonah, who did have serious character flaws lamented their repentance and said he ran because he knew God would save them.

Jonah 4:2, O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

We see God’s beautiful mercy, grace, and love all throughout the pages of the Old Testament. Just as we see God’s desire for justice and judgment toward sin throughout the pages of the New Testament. Jesus and the apostles taught on the horrors of Hell and the judgment that will befall all who do not repent.

Paul maybe said it most clearly in Romans.

Romans 11:22, Note then the kindness and the severity of God.

So, what do we make of Psalms like the one before us today?

A couple thoughts.

1. David was the anointed king over an entire nation.

Here’s why that matters. David represented the safety, stability, and peace of the entire nation.

On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was assassinated. And some in here today possibly remember that day and that time and the threat it caused to the peace and stability of our nation.

Now unfortunately, people are killed and murdered every single day in our country. This isn’t to minimize the evil of murder, but their deaths do not impact the stability and peace of a nation. There are differences. Both are wicked, but both also have differing degrees of repercussions. You with me? I’m not trying to be insensitive here.

David was anointed by God to lead his people. Any attack against him was an attack against a nation, it was ultimately an attack against the sovereignty of God. David can’t remain quiet in the face of attack and persecution against God’s anointed and God’s people.

Because we also see in Psalm 35, verse 10 that these evil doers were harming and robbing the poor. They were taking advantage of the marginalized and weak.

It’s one thing for me to be taken advantage of or even attacked. I can seek to offer forgiveness and mercy. But for the king, he can’t turn his eye away from his people being abused.

Those in positions of authority in our country are placed there and charged with the responsibility to seek order and justice against those who would seek to harm others. They better not turn their face away or they should be removed from that position. This was David’s responsibility.

2. David was a prophet and his life pointed to Christ.

David’s rejection ultimately points to Christ’s rejection.

David and Jesus are very closely linked together. Notice at the end of verse 19 what David says, “Let not those wink the eye who hate me without cause.”

Listen to what Jesus says in John 15 as he prepares his disciples for the rejection that he is about to endure from God’s people, the Jews.

John 15:23-25, Whoever hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: “They hated me without a cause.”

Jesus here is literally quoting Psalm 35 and saying that the rejection of David, God’s anointed earthly king was pointing forward to Jesus, God’s anointed heavenly King of kings. And the judgment that David calls upon his enemies will be the same final judgment that will ultimately come upon anyone who rejects Jesus.

(Gospel call)

And so, here’s what I want to do for the remainder of our time this morning.

I want to unpack David’s imprecatory prayer and then end with how we should treat these Psalms and how they ultimately point us to the rest we have in Christ because of his rejection.

And so, I’ve broken this Psalm down into three different sections, or three different cries of David.

Cry number one:

A cry for help.

We see this primarily in verses 1-10. But if you look at verses 1-3 you’ll see three key words/themes pop up.

Psalm 35:1-3, Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me! Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help! Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”

1. So, David wants his God to contend for him. It’s a word that means to “defend” or “struggle on my behalf.” To “plead my case.”

And so, he’s asking God to lawyer up and defend him against false accusations.

Is that not exactly what our God does against our great enemy, the Devil? How often are you feeling the assault of the enemy against your soul? How often do you hear in your head, “You’re not good enough.” “You’re a failure.” “God could never love you.” “Look at what you’ve done, how could anyone accept you.”

And what do we hear from our great God? “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1).

Our great High Priest, Jesus Christ stands before God the Father defending us against the assaults of the enemy. Every accusation hurled against us hears the final word from King Jesus when he says, “paid in full.” “Forgiven.”

Our great God contends for us.

2. David also asks his God to fight for him.

The shield and buckler (large shield) were tools of defense. The spear and javelin were tools of offense.

God enters the battle and fights for us. This is what Christ did as he walked that hill to Calvary. He took the cross, took the blame, took the punishment, took the assault, and fought on our behalf. He has slain the giant of sin and death and because of that, we can live in victory and freedom and joy.

3. David looks for rest in his God.

Verse 3, “Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”

Verses 9 and 10, “Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD…All my bones shall say, “O LORD, who is like you.”

Our God offers us deep rest in himself.

I’m sure we’ve heard the expression, “sleeps like a baby.”

I loved those early days when our kids were babies and they could sleep through anything. Nothing seemed to wake them up. There’d be all sorts of noises and distractions around them but it didn’t stop them from that deep sleep they were in.

But as we grow, there are things that distract us or rob us of deep sleep.

As Christ-followers, there are many things in our lives that seek to rob us of deep rest of the soul. And we’ve got to return to that deep rest in the sufficiency and goodness and faithfulness of our God.

(kids – working through worry)

Matthew 11:28-29, Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Cry number two:

A cry of the soul.

In verses 11-18, David’s heart has been wounded.

In verse 11, Malicious, or violent witnesses are rising up against him.

In verses 12-14, we begin to get a better picture of who they are.

Psalm 35:12, They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.(This word literally means the sorrow you feel over the loss of a child or loved one.) Why does he feel this way? Because as we see next, it was his friends, his loved ones that betrayed him. Verse 13.

Psalm 35:13-14, But I, when they were sick-I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed on my chest. I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.

These are friends that he went through the fire with, wept with, lived life with. And they abandoned him, betrayed him, rose up against him.

And so, we can understand the heartache that David is feeling in this moment. And so, he’s crying out for God to rescue his broken heart, he’s needing rescue of his soul. And his God delivered.

Cry number three:

A cry for justice.

In verses 19-21 he’s pleading with the God of all justice to not let the wicked prevail over him. Don’t allow sin to have the final word. But instead, like what we see in verses 22-24, “Let justice reign.” Or like we read in verses 27-28, “Let hope abound!”

Psalm 35:27, 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!”

Now, thank God, that because of Christ and through Christ we have that hope. That because of Jesus, the enemy has been defeated and there’s coming a day when all things will be restored to life as it was intended to be and what our hearts and souls deeply long for.

And so, can we pray for justice? Can we pray for evil to be squashed and for evildoers to be stopped? Yes. Though the final judgment of God is still to come as these Psalms foreshadow, God still does intervene in his creation as he upholds it. And so, our prayers for justice should be with the hope of Christ’s victory in view and the desire for God’s Kingdom to expand on earth today (Luke 18:6-8).

We should desire to see evil stopped in its tracks but ultimately God’s Kingdom expands, and evil is thwarted as the church goes forth shining the light of the gospel and the hope of Christ. As people come from darkness into the light.

Do we yearn to see abortion numbers decrease? Murder rates decrease? Sexual assaults decrease? Do we long to see an end to violence and racism, to see healthy families? The solution is not to pray for God to rain down fire and curses on the wicked but for the church to be the church. To love one another, care for one another, serve one another and faithfully, boldly, and clearly proclaim the gospel in both word and deed.

What the world needs, what we continually need is Jesus.

Because Jesus has endured the suffering and pain and rejection, and ultimately death itself on our behalf, that now frees us to run with confidence the race that is set before us. Jesus is our defender. Jesus is our hope. Jesus is our righteousness. Jesus is our joy. Jesus is our freedom and peace.

On those dark nights of the soul when fear is all around us we look to him, our hope and peace. Because he was forsaken, we never will be.

Our future is certain, eternal life belongs to those who hope in Christ and so look to him to not grow weary.

I close with this passage from Hebrews 12.

Hebrews 12:1-3, Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Church let’s look to Jesus and be transformed.