With God in the real world
In our dog-eat-dog world, they say you either devour or get devoured. This psalm advocates a different approach, one of trusting God to fight for us.
A David psalm. When Saul put his house under surveillance in order to kill him.
1 Rescue me from my foes, my God—
protect me from those attacking me!
2 Rescue me from these thugs—
from these hitmen protect me!
3 See them lurking to ambush me.
The powerful conspire against me
but not for anything I’ve done, YHWH.
4 No, they hurry into position
for no fault of mine.
Wake up, God!
See what’s happening and help me!
5 YHWH, Commander of Heaven’s Armies
you are Israel’s God.
Wake up and punish all your foes!
Don’t spare any of these traitors who plot evil!
6 Every night they prowl the city’s streets
like a pack of snarling dogs.
7 Their mouths belching abuse
their words slashing like swords, they gloat:
“Who hears a thing we say?”
8 But you laugh out loud, YHWH—
you scoff at all the nations
determined to unseat you.
9 My Strength, I wait for you to rescue me
because you’re my fortress, God.
10 The God whose love never fails
will come through for me.
God will ensure
that I witness my enemies’ defeat.
11 But don’t make quick work of them
lest my people forget just as quickly.
No, disband them slowly,
making them stagger and reel.
Take them down in slow-motion
O Lord, our Shield.
12 May all the arrogant curses and filthy lies
pouring out of their mouths
bring about their own downfall.
13 Obliterate them in your anger.
Decimate them so that everyone everywhere
knows that Israel’s God reigns supreme. Selah
14 Every night they prowl the city’s streets
like a pack of snarling dogs.
15 See, they roam and scavenge all night long
howling if they don’t get their fill.
16 But I sing of your power.
Every morning I shout
about your unfailing love
for you’ve been my fortress, my refuge
on the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength
I will sing praises to you
because you’re my stronghold
the God who shows me unfailing love.
Afraid that David threatens his supremacy, King Saul determines to get rid of him and puts him under constant surveillance. Unable to convince Saul of his innocence, David is forced to live in Saul’s trap. His enemies control everything outside his house, like a pack of wild dogs that run the city’s streets at night. So David cries out to God for protection, asking him to rid the world of his enemies, and in such a way that people don’t quickly forget where such self-seeking leads.
This may seem vengeful, but in David’s world, someone is going to die—either him or his assassins. Disturbed by the evil example his enemies set for the nation, he asks God to make a memorable example of them in their deaths. And by praying this, he declares that he won’t take vengeance into his own hands.
David repeats his refrain about God’s being his strength to counter his repeated description of the menacing dogs and emphasize God’s faithfulness and unfailing love.
Like Psalms 56-58, this psalm declares that God rules the world. Though evil persists in it and often seems to have the upper hand, God’s love constantly works to counter it, blessing those who live not by the lust for power, but by the power of love.
Prayer:
You reign, Lord, though evil often has the upper hand, leaving those who please you struggling. Help me to believe your love reigns and live accordingly, to walk by faith even when I can’t see what you’re doing. And help me praise you for your unfailing love and shelter. Amen.
Meditate on this in your free moments today:
O my Strength
I’ll sing praises to you
because you’re my stronghold
the God who shows me unfailing love!
