To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.
1 Deliver me from my enemies, O my God;
protect me from those who rise up against me;
2 deliver me from those who work evil,
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
fierce men stir up strife against me.
For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord,
4 for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.
Awake, come to meet me, and see!
5 You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel.
Rouse yourself to punish all the nations;
spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah
6 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
7 There they are, bellowing with their mouths
with swords in their lips—
for “Who,” they think, “will hear us?”
8 But you, O Lord, laugh at them;
you hold all the nations in derision.
9 O my Strength, I will watch for you,
for you, O God, are my fortress.
10 My God in his steadfast love will meet me;
God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.
11 Kill them not, lest my people forget;
make them totter by your power and bring them down,
O Lord, our shield!
12 For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,
let them be trapped in their pride.
For the cursing and lies that they utter,
13 consume them in wrath;
consume them till they are no more,
that they may know that God rules over Jacob
to the ends of the earth. Selah
14 Each evening they come back,
howling like dogs
and prowling about the city.
15 They wander about for food
and growl if they do not get their fill.
16 But I will sing of your strength;
I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
for you, O God, are my fortress,
the God who shows me steadfast love.—Psalm 59:16-17 (emphasis mine)
Steadfast love refers to God’s covenant loyal love toward those that are His. His loving, merciful kindness never ceases. He is faithful even when we are not. Meditating on our God’s steadfast, merciful love is where the Lord has me of late. Thinking on it brings me great consolation in the manifold trials of life. One of the trials that I daily face could, if I allowed it, tempt me toward bitterness.
There is pain that each of us face in this life that is self-inflicted…either by willful sin or by our own less than godly choices. Like David, however, there is probably some pain in each of our lives that we walk through that is no fault of our own. What do I do when the wounds from others threaten to bring me into a downward me, myself and I, bitter spiral?
I remember the gospel. I remember His forgiveness. I remember my God’s undeserved, unearned and unmerited favor and grace. I remember that I have deeply offended Him and He definitely did not deserve it! I remember that He died for my sin and offenses, when I was yet still His enemy. I remember that, even as I am tempted to slide into that “woe is me” kind of bitterness, He is interceding for me. He is on my side. His grace and mercy always and forever surround me.
Beloved…Remember the cross. Think on the gospel of His undeserved grace. Turn your eyes toward Jesus. Look full into His wonderful face. The things that you are offended by will fade and grow dim in the light of His glory and grace.
