BIG IDEA:
THE RIGHTEOUS DESIRE VENGEANCE AND VINDICATION
FROM UNJUSTIFIED ATTACKERS
(:1-5) INTRODUCTION:
UNJUSTIFIED ATTACKERS BRING US TO OUR KNEES IN PRAYER
Key phrase: "But I am in prayer" (:4)
A. Supreme Court of Appeal = God Himself
1. The One Deserving of Praise
"O God of my praise"
2. The One Capable of Action
"Do not be silent!"
B. Methodology of Unjustified Attackers
1. Lying and Deceit
2. Hatred and Warfare
C. Personal Nature of the Attacks = "against me"
track the use of this phrase in these verses
D. Unjustified Nature of the Attacks = "without cause" (direct opposite of Grace)
1. "in return for my love they act as my accusers"
2. "repaid me evil for good"
3. "and hatred for my love"
E. Only Recourse = Prayer -- "But I am in prayer"
I. (:6-20) DESIRE FOR VENGEANCE
A. (:6-15) Payback Options: Bad Things for Bad People
(Note: Reflect on the blessings the righteous enjoy in contrast)
1. Justice (this is a good thing for the righteous and the afflicted)
a. Under wicked authority = "appoint a wicked man over him"
b. Accused and unable to escape = "and let an accuser stand at his right hand"
c. Convicted and Unable to appeal
"when he is judged, let him come forth guilty"."and let his prayer become sin"
2. Shortened Life = "Let his days be few"
3. Dethroned from Power and Influence = "Let another take his office"
4. Death Penalty
a. Children = fatherless
b. Wife = widow
5. Bankruptcy and Dislocation
a. Children
"Let his children wander about and beg;
And let them seek sustenance far from their ruined homes"
b. Personal
"Let the creditor seize all that he has;
And let strangers plunder the product of his labor"
6. Denied Mercy and Compassion
a. Personal
"Let there be none to extend lovingkindness to him"
b. Children
"Nor any to be gracious to his fatherless children"
7. Family Cut Off and Forgotten
"Let his posterity be cut off;
In a following generation let their name be blotted out"
8. Sins Remembered
"Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord,
And do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
Let them be before the Lord continually,
That He may cut off their memory from the earth"
B. (:16-20) Payback Justification: Bad People Deserve Bad Things
1. (:16) Persecuted the helpless vs. Lovingkindness
2. (:17-18) Cursed others vs. Blessing
"he clothed himself with cursing as with his garment "
3. (:19-20) Payback Applied
a. If the shoe fits, Wear it
"Let it be to him as a garment with which he covers himself,.And for a belt with which he constantly girds himself "
b. Pay him his due
"Let this be the reward of my accusers from the Lord,
And of those who speak evil against my soul"
II. (:21-29) DESIRE FOR VINDICATION
A. (:21-25) The Bad Guys Win Unless God Helps the Afflicted
1. Personal Vindication tied to God’s Name and Character
"deal kindly with me for Thy name’s sake;
Because Thy lovingkindness is good, deliver me"
2. The Afflicted are Incapable of Helping Themselves
B. (:26-29) When God Delivers the Righteous, the Gloating of the Wicked Will Be Turned to Shame
(:30-31) CONCLUSION: THANKSGIVING AND TESTIMONY
A. Thanksgiving
B. Testimony
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Was David justified to pray for God’s vengeance against his enemies here or is this an example of an honest, emotional outburst that is really out of bounds?
2) How would you make application to these imprecatory psalms to our situation today in the context of the NT Church Age? What was different about David’s situation?
What was the same? Are there any appropriate contexts for Christians to utter similar thoughts? Are there any NT examples of such proclamation of woes and cursing?
3) Where do we turn when we are treated unjustly? What is our initial reaction?
4) Do we picture our Lord standing “at the right hand of the needy to save him”?
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(including notes on each psalm from other commentators)
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