This is not what the Bible teaches. In fact, it teaches just the opposite. Look at Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”
I do not know anything in a Christian’s life that is more difficult to do than to:
- Say nice things about your enemies.
- Do nice things for your enemies.
- Pray for those who “despitefully use” us.
Nevertheless, this is exactly what the Lord has commanded us to do.
Why is this so difficult? Because most people have a “grudge” list, and “Woe be unto anyone who is on their list.”
Illus: We are told that Richard Nixon had such a list and he kept it in a small black binder. It included all who-
- Said bad things about him.
- Opposed him.
Their names went into the little black book and when a convenient time came, he did not get mad; he got even.
Politicians are not the only ones who have “grudge” lists. Many Christians seek revenge against those who oppose them.
Illus: In Luke, chapter 9, the Lord was not very well received. This made some of the disciples angry. Luke 9:54 tells us, “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them.”
Aren’t you glad God refuses to allow people use Him, and His power, to get revenge on people.
If God had given His disciples the power to get revenge, those people would have all looked like burnt toast.
But, scripture records some times when men like David, who were NOT motivated by fleshly desires, pleaded with God to send judgment on someone, and God granted their requests. Those prayers are called imprecatory prayers.
Every time God granted those requests it was for a man of God, who was living for God. Those men of God understood that the attacks upon them were actually attacks on God.
We have already dealt with DAVID’S PLEA. Now let us look at...
II. DAVID’S PRAYER.
We can see why David was praying for God to assist him. Look at...
A. David’s predicament.
Look at verses 11-12. We read, “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.”
Notice, David spoke of false witnesses that rose up against him. They did two things.
1. “They laid to my charge things that I knew not...”
David made it clear that he was being charged with things he did not even know about.
Illus: That would be like having the police come to your house and charge you with a robbery that took place the night before. You would say, “What robbery?” They would say, “The one you committed.” All you could say would be, “I not only did not commit the robbery. I do not even know about a robbery.”
Illus: Evil men had been going to King Saul and accusing David of sedition behind David’s back. David was one of the most loyal men King Saul had, yet he was being accused of things he did not even know he was being accused of. He not only was innocent of the charges, he had been ignorant of the fact they had been being made against him.
2. “They rewarded me evil for good...”
We all would naturally assume that if you do good things to and for people that good things will follow back from them, but often this is not the case. In fact, often just the opposite happens.
Illus: Every church can tell you about people that they reached out to help spiritually and financially who later set out to destroy that same church that had assisted them when they needed assistance.
That same thing happened to David. He said, “They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul.” (Verse 12) What a predicament to be in.
Then look at-
B. David’s placating.
David told God how his enemies were treating him and of how they had accused him of things he was not even aware of. He also told the Lord how they had returned evil for good. It is evident the Holy Spirit wanted us to know how David had treated his enemies. David had not told the Lord those things just to make himself look good.
Illus: Have you noticed people usually tell their side of the story in such a way as to favor them so they come out looking good. Almost without exception, people will give a slant that favors them.
When people come to a church and put their former church down, the smart pastor will pick up the phone and call the former pastor. Often “The Rest of the Story” includes details the members “conveniently” left out because those details would not leave them in such a good light. In some cases, the people had caused such disruption that the people in the church they came from were better off when they left.
David tells us what the enemy had done TO HIM. In verses 13-14, it is recorded what David DID TO HIS ENEMIES. In verse 13, he began, “BUT AS FOR ME,” and he listed what HE DID TO THEM. Look at...
-Verse 13. We read, “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.”
Notice, when David’s enemies were sick, David said he did these things:
- Humbled himself before God and wore clothing of sackcloth.
- He fasted on their behalf.
- He prayed from his heart (“mine own bosom”) for them to be made well.
We all could see why David would have enemies if he had laughed at the men and said, “They are getting what they deserve!” However, David did not do that. He did just the opposite. He prayed for those who had despitefully used him.
Then, look at-
.
-Verse 14. We read, “I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.”
David said he had prayed for his enemies the same way He would have prayed for his friend, brother, or even for his own mother. He continued to tell the Lord that He was in trouble and told the Lord to look at how they had treated him.
Look at verses 15-16. We read, “But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.”
Illus: The picture we get at the time David was in prayer was that David was like a victim among a pack of wild animals.
We can see his desperation as he pleaded for help in verse 17. We read, “Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions.”
David was pleading for God to rescue him from the “young lions” who were strong and vicious who were out to destroy him.
We have seen DAVID’S PETITION and DAVID’S PRAYER, now look at one more thing. That is...
III. DAVID’S PROMISE.
We should never ask the Lord for His help if we are not willing to THANK HIM.
Illus: A lady called a church for assistance. The church, out of kindness, gave her approximately a hundred dollars worth of groceries and two-hundred fifty dollars to catch up on some of her bills. Did you know this lady has never returned to that church one time since they helped her and she was not even grateful enough to send a thank-you note.
There are people you can help, and as soon as you have helped them you realize they are not grateful. There are others, when you help them, make you so glad you did because they so deeply appreciate what you do for them.
David was grateful for what God did for him. Look at...
A. His praise.
Look at verse 18. He said, “I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.”
David promised the Lord that He would go before the congregation and when MUCH PEOPLE were there he would PUBLICLY PRAISE THE LORD if He would help him. A grateful man wants everyone to know great the Lord is to him. Then look at...
B. His prayer.
1. David did not want to be shamed before his enemies.
Look at verse 19. We read, “Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.”
That is, when David was in their midst, and when he was looking they winked their eye at each other as they plotted to destroy him. David was asking God to not let them get away with that.
2. David did not want their deceit and lies to be successful against him.
Look at verses 20-21. We read, “For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it.”
3. David wanted God to intervene.
Look at verses 22-26. We read, “This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O LORD, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me. Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.”
C. His proclamation.
David said that if God would answer his prayer, he would tell everyone what God had done for him. Look at verse 27-28. We read, “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.”
Conclusion:
We learn from David that we can trust God with the biggest, and the smallest, requests.
(Part 2 of 2)
II. DAVID’S PRAYER
A. David’s predicament.
B. David’s personality
III. DAVID’S PROMISE
A. His praise
B. His prayer
C. His proclamation
