Praying Psalm 35

"They..."

What is the title of Psalm 35? Of David

Read Psalm 35:1-6
1 Contend, YHWH, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
² Take hold of shield and buckler and rise for my help!
³ Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers! Say to my soul (nephesh), “I am your salvation!”
⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonor who seek after my life (nephesh)! Let them be turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
⁵ Let them be like chaff before 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!

What does the Psalmist plead?

Fight for me, LORD against THEM.

 Read Psalm 35:7-10

⁷ For without cause they hid their net for me; without cause they dug a pit for my life.
⁸ Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it! And let the net that he hid ensnare him; let him fall into it—to his destruction!
⁹ Then my soul (nephesh) will rejoice in YHWH, exulting in his salvation.
¹⁰ All my bones shall say, “YHWH, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him?”

 What will happen if God delivers him?

His Soul/body will rejoice & proclaim salvation.

Read 35:11-16

¹¹ Malicious witnesses rise up; they ask me of things that I do not know.
¹² They repay me evil for good; my soul is bereft.
¹³ But I, when they were sick— I wore sackcloth; I afflicted myself with fasting; I prayed with head bowed  on my chest.
¹⁴ I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother; as one who laments his mother, I bowed down in mourning.
¹⁵ But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered; they gathered together against me; wretches whom I did not know tore at me without ceasing;
¹⁶ like profane mockers at a feast, they gnash at me with their teeth.

What is the problem?

PEOPLE: Evil for good.
I WAS GOOD to them BUT they were evil to me = UNJUST.

 Read 35:17-18

¹⁷ How long, O Lord, will you look on? Rescue me from their destruction, my precious life from the lions!
¹⁸ I will thank you in the great congregation; in the mighty throng I will praise you.

What is David’s cry?

How long? How can this injustice go on? RESCUE ME!

 Read 35: 19-26

¹⁹ Let not those rejoice over me who are wrongfully my foes, and let not those wink the eye
who hate me without cause.
²⁰ For they do not speak peace, but against those who are quiet in the land they devise words of deceit.
²¹ They open wide their mouths against me; they say, “Aha, Aha! Our eyes have seen it!”

²² You have seen, O Lord; be not silent! O Lord, be not far from me!
²³ Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord!
²⁴ Vindicate me, O Lord, my God, according to your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!
²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts, “Aha, our heart's desire!” Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶ Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!

 What does David want YHWH to do?

Speak, act, DO JUSTICE - shame This is God's promised judgement. He will "save" the righteous, but on the other side,  he will destroy the wicked.

Read 35:27-28

²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness shout for joy and be glad and say evermore, “Great is YHWH, who delights in the peace of his servant!”
²⁸ Then my tongue shall tell/meditate of your righteousness and of your praise all the day long.

 What is the sharp contrast between “those people” in the last verses?

THOSE who delight in righteousness = THOSE who delight in YHWH.
THIS leads me to praise. Community is very important. we do this together.

 WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?

What is the purpose of this Psalm/prayer?
Lament against PEOPLE
Plead for justice

How can we pray this?
Lament against PEOPLE - evil ones act out against us, against the cause of God
Plead for justice - Return soon! Judge so that sin & injustice will be gone - LOVE the promise of God.

 How does Christ fulfill this psalm?

He lived among a people who hated him… Justice with God = cross.
Christ's followers will live this…Acts 7 (Stephen)
Christ prayed to His Father about this very trial…John 17


WE PRAY:  

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.