They Have Spoken Against Me…

 Do not keep silent,

O God of my praise!

2 For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful

Have opened against me;

They have spoken against me with a lying tongue.

3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,

And fought against me without a cause.

4 In return for my love they are my accusers,

But I give myself to prayer.

5 Thus they have rewarded me evil for good,

And hatred for my love.—Psalm 109:1-5

30 I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth;

Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude.

31 For He shall stand at the right hand of the poor,

To save him from those who condemn him—Psalm 109:30-31

These words and actions of David have helped my heart often over the years. Most of us, if we are living for our God, have experienced people who fight against us without cause…who surround us with lying words and hatred.  In return for the love we have shown them, they are our accusers.  They reward us evil for good and hatred for our love.  

I love David’s response in verse 4!  Despite God’s silence…despite the verbal assaults and false accusations, David gives himself to prayer. He takes refuge in God.  His faith does not waver.  His heart is steadfast. ❤️  He begins this psalm with praise and ends it the same way. (Vs 30-3)

If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare His own Son but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not freely give us all things?  Who can bring a charge against God’s elect.  It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  In Him, despite how it often looks on the outside, we are more than conquerors. 

Beloved…the fear of the Lord is Your treasure. Wait on the Him. He will be your arm every morning. Your salvation in time of trouble. Place the full weight of Your care upon Him.  He cares for you. He will sustain you through.

The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer;

3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust;

My shield and the horn of my salvation,

My stronghold and my refuge;

My Savior, You save me from violence.

4 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

So shall I be saved from my enemies.

5 "When the waves of death surrounded me,

The floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

6 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;

The snares of death confronted me.

7 In my distress I called upon the LORD,

And cried out to my God;

He heard my voice from His temple,

And my cry entered His ears.

8 "Then the earth shook and trembled;

The foundations of heaven quaked and were shaken,

Because He was angry.

9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,

And devouring fire from His mouth;

Coals were kindled by it.

10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down

With darkness under His feet.

11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;

And He was seen upon the wings of the wind.

12 He made darkness canopies around Him,

Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

13 From the brightness before Him

Coals of fire were kindled.

14 "The LORD thundered from heaven,

And the Most High uttered His voice.

15 He sent out arrows and scattered them;

Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.

16 Then the channels of the sea were seen,

The foundations of the world were uncovered,

At the rebuke of the LORD,

At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.

17 "He sent from above, He took me,

He drew me out of many waters.

18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,

From those who hated me;

For they were too strong for me.

19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the LORD was my support.

20 He also brought me out into a broad place;

He delivered me because He delighted in me.—2nd Samuel 22:2-20

4 I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

5 They looked to Him and were radiant,

And their faces were not ashamed.

6 This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him,

And saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,

And delivers them.—Psalm 34:4-7

21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22 "Who committed no sin,

Nor was deceit found in His mouth";

23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;—1 Peter 2:21-23