Greatness.

Greatness.

Psalm 35:1-10TPT

Ron wasn't having a good week. His new job had thrust him in the midst of some people who were foul mouth, rude, and obnoxious.

Ron is one tough guy, but after two months of working in that environment, he wasn't sure he could tolerate any more ungodly, uncouth (lacking good manners) behavior.

Ron is by no means alone. Perhaps you too are in an environment that is not friendly to godliness either at work, at home, or elsewhere.

In Psalm 35:1, we can read, 3 poetic Psalm of prayer. The first one is what I want us to concentrate on, and consider.

It’s a prayer over David’s enemies. I love the realness of King David!

Remember, in David’s brief life, he was mocked, Be-rated, and spoken to as the youngest son. He had every reason to be negative, to hide under daddies covering. Jesse was wise though, He would not allow David privileged dependence.

David was a shepherd, so he quickly studied his enemies. He was practiced with his stones and sling. He stayed low keyed at times.

At that place, David song and wrote. He spent a lot of nights listening to his flock, and His God. David had his share of battle’s, He had fought and won over a bear, and a lion.

He took on Goliath, with complete trust in his God. King David wasn’t short on confidence.

1 John 5:14KJV  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us:

Proverbs 14:26KJV  In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.

David had one big problem. His family of origin, was tainted with hard-core family problems. It was traceable. In the center of all this and more, King David prayed this powerful prayer over his enemies.

Psalm 35:1-10TPT O Lord, fight for me! Harass the hecklers; accuse my accusers. Fight those who fight against me. 2–3 Put on your armor, Lord; take up your shield and protect me. Rise up, mighty God! Grab your weapons of war

and block the way of the wicked who come to fight me. Stand for me when they stand against me! Speak over my soul: “I am your strong Savior!” 4 Humiliate those who seek my harm. Defeat them all! Frustrate their plans to defeat me and drive them back. Disgrace them all as they have devised their plans to disgrace me. 5 Blow them away like dust in the wind, with the angel of Almighty God driving them back! 6 Make the road in front of them nothing but slippery darkness, with the angel of Yahweh behind them, chasing them away! 7 For though I did nothing wrong to them, they set a trap for me, wanting me to fail and fall. 8 Surprise them with your ambush, Lord, and catch them in the very trap they set for me. Let them be the ones to fail and fall into destruction! 9 Then my fears will dissolve into limitless joy; my whole being will overflow with gladness because of your mighty deliverance. 10 Everything inside of me will shout it out: “There’s no one like you,

Lord!” For look at how you protect the weak and helpless from the strong and heartless who oppress them.

It seems that this psalm was written during the time of David’s flight from Saul. Much of his suffering during that time was because of the false accusations made against him by influential people in Saul’s court.

The first thing that impresses me about these verses, is the fact that, David places everything into the Lord’s hand.

Verse 1, O Lord fight for me!

David tells God to fight for him, to go before him and to set traps for his enemies.

2 Chronicles 20:1-3KJV It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. 2 Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying, There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi.

3 And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.

A fast isn’t so much about the Lord moving on your behalf, as it is, you moving toward God. Hearing, His voice.

2 Chronicles 20:21-22KJV And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, “Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.”

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.