Because “you are my God” …

Psalm 140

For the choir director: A psalm of David.

¹ O Lord, rescue me from evil people.
Protect me from those who are violent,
² those who plot evil in their hearts
and stir up trouble all day long.
³ Their tongues sting like a snake;
the venom of a viper drips from their lips.

Interlude

⁴ O Lord, keep me out of the hands of the wicked.
Protect me from those who are violent,
for they are plotting against me.
⁵ The proud have set a trap to catch me;
they have stretched out a net;
they have placed traps all along the way.

Interlude

⁶ I said to the Lord, “You are my God!”
Listen, O Lord, to my cries for mercy!
⁷ O Sovereign Lord, the strong one who rescued me,
you protected me on the day of battle.
⁸ Lord, do not let evil people have their way.
Do not let their evil schemes succeed,
or they will become proud.

Interlude

⁹ Let my enemies be destroyed
by the very evil they have planned for me.
¹⁰ Let burning coals fall down on their heads.
Let them be thrown into the fire
or into watery pits from which they can’t escape.
¹¹ Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.
Cause great disasters to fall on the violent.
¹² But I know the Lord will help those they persecute;
he will give justice to the poor.
¹³ Surely righteous people are praising your name;
the godly will live in your presence.

David wants to be rescued from evildoers. He feels this intensely and particularly dislikes the venomous words that come from evil people’s mouths.  David then really speaks his mind in crying out to God for these evil people to be destroyed by their own wicked scheming.

David also talks about God’s character in that he secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.  The Psalm finishes in stating that praise comes out of the mouths of the righteous and they live in the presence of God.

I take two things from this passage, firstly the importance of the words we speak and our destination.  The plotting of evil and stirring up trouble continually may very well lead to being engulfed in one’s own wickedness.  Yet out of the lips of the righteous comes praise and the promise of living in God’s presence. I know where I’d rather be!

The second thing I take from this passage is the reminder that the Lord himself secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.  It’s intrinsic to God’s nature but I need prompting! What am I personally doing to help those who cannot help themselves?

Dear God, keep me from becoming involved in things that are evil and displeasing to you.  Please help me to actively look out for the needs of the poor Amen.

Written by Ps. Ainslie Woods