From Hurting To Healing
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Introduction
Introduction
To have wounds and hurt inflicted by others purposefully is traumatic to say the least. To have those same wounds inflicted by a trusted friend is a greater trauma - possibly the greatest trauma. Rumors going viral that have their starting place of your best friend. A co-worker sabotaging your reputation or work in order to get ahead or at least keep you back also. Adultery within a marriage and on and on the ways we can be betrayed are endless.
Abuse in American Gymnastics perpetrated by Doctor Larry Nassar - someone whom was in a special place of trust. Jerry Sandusky - Penn State — the countless cases among members of the clergy. Abused places of trust.
12 Now it is not an enemy who insults me— otherwise I could bear it; it is not a foe who rises up against me— otherwise I could hide from him. 13 But it is you, a man who is my peer, my companion and good friend! 14 We used to have close fellowship; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.
Psalm 35 is a Psalm of David and it is a special kind of Psalm known as imprecatory. An imprecatory Psalm is one in which the psalmist prays and asks God to punish, judge, or curse someone for their wickedness in just retribution.
Christian author C S Lewis says “The hatred is there – festering, gloating, undisguised-and also we should be wicked if we in any way condoned or approved it or worse still used it to justify similar passions in ourselves”.
Some have removed these imprecatory Psalms from their lectionaries and do not quote or read from them. Now it is true that the Bible does record on many occasions wicked and bad words, and examples of wrong actions. However is this explanation for the imprecatory Psalms? Are they just examples of good men praying bad prayers? The answer is no.
The New Testament does not shy away from quoting from these imprecatory Psalms
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
In the pain and hurt of finding himself a victim of treachery David turns to God, asking Him to act on His behalf. Refusing to take judgment and vengeance into his own hands, he believes that the LORD will vindicate him. This psalm is a combination of three laments over the opposition of David’s enemies. These laments cant show us how we move from hurting to healing.
1 Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who fight me. 2 Take your shields—large and small— and come to my aid. 3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”
4 Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed. 5 Let them be like chaff in the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause. 8 Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his ruin. 9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will delight in his deliverance.
10 All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like you, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?” 11 Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know. 12 They repay me evil for good, making me desolate.
13 Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine. 14 I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for a mother. 15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me. Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop.
16 With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me. 17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; rescue my precious life from the young lions. 18 I will praise you in the great assembly; I will exalt you among many people.
19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink at me maliciously. 20 For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peacefully in the land. 21 They open their mouths wide against me and say, “Aha, aha! We saw it!”
22 You saw it, Lord; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me. 23 Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord! 24 Vindicate me, Lord my God, in keeping with your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their hearts, “Aha! Just what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!” 26 Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.
27 Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.” 28 And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.
First Appeal
First Appeal
1 Oppose my opponents, Lord; fight those who fight me. 2 Take your shields—large and small— and come to my aid. 3 Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers, and assure me, “I am your deliverance.”
This Psalm opens up with a cry for help to the LORD by David who is embattled by enemies. The battle is personal as the appeal is for help with “my” opponents. David faced many enemies on the battlefield and knew many opponents as he could see them. More often than not our struggle is identifying the true source and character of the enemies that seek to destroy us. Sometimes what appears to be flesh and blood against us is really spiritual in nature.
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
David calls on the LORD to take up the fight. Like David we must make our appeal for help to God for His help in our fight. Christians are not to take vengeance against their enemies, but rather are called to turn the battle over to the LORD.
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.
Michael - the Archangel of heaven when contending with the devil didnt come against him either
9 Yet when Michael the archangel was disputing with the devil in an argument about Moses’s body, he did not dare utter a slanderous condemnation against him but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
David calls out for the LORD to take His shields large and small and come to his aid. Defense help for the small attacks as well as the larger attacks. Draw the spear and javelin - weapons of war - against David’s pursuers in order that he would be assured that the LORD’s name as (Yashua) Deliverer is true. David needed to hear it again and again in his soul – that God was his salvation, and no one else. David was not his own salvation; God reminded his soul, “I am your salvation.” We can understand a couple of things here from David that might ring true for us.
David had his doubts - we will have our doubts as well
David was not content in his doubts and we must not be either.
We have our assurance if we follow David in where his assurance came from. David’s assurance was in a divine source. David’s assurance was deep and personal, and David’s assurance was present - not future.
“Brethren there is nothing that can make you strong to labor for God, bold to fight against your enemies, and mighty to resist your temptations, like a full assurance that God is your God, and YOUR salvation.” Spurgeon
4 Let those who intend to take my life be disgraced and humiliated; let those who plan to harm me be turned back and ashamed. 5 Let them be like chaff in the wind, with the angel of the Lord driving them away. 6 Let their way be dark and slippery, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
7 They hid their net for me without cause; they dug a pit for me without cause. 8 Let ruin come on him unexpectedly, and let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his ruin.
David’s appeal to the LORD is to let those who intended to take my life be disgraced and humiliated and to also let those who intend harm be turned back and ashamed. Let them fail, miserably and shamefully. Let them be like chaff in the wind with the angel of the LORD driving them away and pursuing them in the dark and slippery way. They set a trap and dug a pit both without cause - I havent done anything worthy of such tactics. David says let ruin come unexpectedly and let them be ensnared and fall into their own traps. David’s appeal here is that the LORD would work in such a way as to vindicate David.
9 Then I will rejoice in the Lord; I will delight in his deliverance. 10 All my bones will say, “Lord, who is like you, rescuing the poor from one too strong for him, the poor or the needy from one who robs him?”
This appeal from David ends with a statement of profound faith. David indicates his desire to rejoice and praise in the LORD’s deliverance and rejoice in the LORD as his deliverer. David is not rejoicing in the destruction of others but in the salvation given through the LORD. Salvation from the covenant-keeping God. Full confidence expressed in God following through and delivering him from his enemies. We must look past the hurt and towards the hope of assured deliverance for who is like our LORD?
Second Appeal
Second Appeal
11 Malicious witnesses come forward; they question me about things I do not know. 12 They repay me evil for good, making me desolate. 13 Yet when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting, and my prayer was genuine.
14 I went about mourning as if for my friend or brother; I was bowed down with grief, like one mourning for a mother. 15 But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; they gathered against me. Assailants I did not know tore at me and did not stop. 16 With godless mockery they gnashed their teeth at me.
17 Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue me from their ravages; rescue my precious life from the young lions. 18 I will praise you in the great assembly; I will exalt you among many people.
David contrasts their treatment of him with his treatment of them. Malicious witnesses asking questions they know are false and that David wouldnt know. They come repaying evil for good. In contrast David says I fasted and was humbled in mourning when they were sick and my prayer was heartfelt. David said he mourned just like if they were close relationship. These people were considered and seen as friends by David. The situation described all too common and excruciatingly painful. When they stumble ‘mercy’ but when you stumble they gather in glee against you. A shock as those whom you once counted as friends and have been the recipients of your kindness and love, prayers and hospitality, they turn against you. Such is common for God’s people who lead - whether in church or elsewhere. Treachery and betrayal is the rule of the day but nothing can prepare us for when our friend becomes a Judas. Et Tu Brutus a phrase used to express one’s dismay at mistreatment or betrayal.
The second appeal reaches a crescendo with David crying out through all the pain and asking the hard question - how long LORD - how long will you look on, how long will it go on, how long until you do something? A desperate plea - rescue me. Again we see praise at the end of the appeal. This praise is a promise of faith.
Today you may not be standing in the congregation of the saints praising your God, but one day you will be there. Today you may be sitting in a jail awaiting a trial because a false brother raised evil accusations against you. You can still look forward to the day when you will stand in the middle of the great congregation, pouring out thanksgivings and praise to Yahweh, YOUR God and you can praise Him now.
Third and Final Appeal
Third and Final Appeal
19 Do not let my deceitful enemies rejoice over me; do not let those who hate me without cause wink at me maliciously. 20 For they do not speak in friendly ways, but contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peacefully in the land. 21 They open their mouths wide against me and say, “Aha, aha! We saw it!”
David makes his third appeal to have the LORD keep his enemies from rejoicing over him (having the victory or the desired outcome they seek). He requests LORD dont let them wink at me maliciously - signal their destructive intentions to one another. David states that they do not speak in friendly ways and they contrive fraudulent schemes against those who live peaceably - quietly without agitation or activity. They open wide their mouths to say AHA! Aha! The usual operating method of our enemies and of the enemy himself - deception, injustice and mockery.
22 You saw it, Lord; do not be silent. Lord, do not be far from me. 23 Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord! 24 Vindicate me, Lord my God, in keeping with your righteousness, and do not let them rejoice over me.
25 Do not let them say in their hearts, “Aha! Just what we wanted.” Do not let them say, “We have swallowed him up!”
David then makes his appeal to the LORD and calls for the LORD to not be silent, not be far, wake up and rise to my defense and my cause, vindicate me and do not let them rejoice over me, do not let them get away with this treachery. David says you saw it LORD therefore do not be silent. Wake up and rise to my defense and my cause - my God and My LORD. You are righteous vindicate me!
The LORD does see and He is good and righteous and we can call out to Him.
26 Let those who rejoice at my misfortune be disgraced and humiliated; let those who exalt themselves over me be clothed with shame and reproach.
27 Let those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad; let them continually say, “The Lord be exalted. He takes pleasure in his servant’s well-being.” 28 And my tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praise all day long.
David ends with a final request and a promise of praise. Let those who rejoice in my trouble be disgraced and humiliated those who lift themselves up clothed with shame and reproach. However those who want my vindication shout for joy and be glad. Let them continually exalt the LORD for taking pleasure in his servants well being. My tongue will proclaim your righteousness and praise all day long.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When you commit to serving Jesus and others, you should expect bad treatment from some quarters. The servant of Jesus must be prepared to suffer at the hands of men. Resolve right now that you will never be able to resolve these injustices yourself. You must always leave them in God’s hands. Your deliverance, your reward, your comfort, and your rejoicing can only come from the Lord. Our ultimate focus must not be on our enemies or even our vindication, it must be on praising the God who is perfectly holy, just, and good.
Worship returns us to the real focus of life. Our business in life is to praise God and live to His glory. God’s business is to take vengeance on our enemies. This psalm clarifies this important distinction. Worship includes prayers of faith, appealing to God for deliverance from our enemies. These appeals are urgent, persuasive, and forceful. They are bold appeals, but not audacious and proud. They originate from humble hearts of faith. These cries for help are attended with statements of faith in God and praise for His marvelous deliverance. Faith always expects deliverance.
18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
This experience reminds us of Jesus Christ, who was also hated without a cause and falsely accused and attacked by those for whom He had shown nothing but kindness and love - betrayed by one whom He considered His disciple. While God delivered David from his enemies, He “spared not his own son” (Rom. 8:32) but willingly gave Him to die for the sins of the world.