Strife

Psalm 31: 1 – 24

Strife

To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.

1 In You, O LORD, I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed; Deliver me in Your righteousness. 2 Bow down Your ear to me, deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, Aa fortress of defense to save me. 3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. 4 Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. 5 Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. 6 I have hated those who regard useless idols; But I trust in the LORD. 7 I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy, for You have considered my trouble; You have known my soul in adversities, 8 And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy; You have set my feet in a wide place. 9 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble; My eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! 10 For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing; My strength fails because of my iniquity, and my bones waste away. 11 I am a reproach among all my enemies, but especially among my neighbors, and am repulsive to my acquaintances; Those who see me outside flee from me. 12 I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind; I am like a broken vessel. 13 For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, they scheme to take away my life. 14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me. 16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. 17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave. 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. 19 Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! 20 You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. 21 Blessed be the LORD, for He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city! 22 For I said in my haste, “I am cut off from before Your eyes”; nevertheless, You heard the voice of my supplications when I cried out to You. 23 Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints! For the LORD preserves the faithful, and fully repays the proud person. 24 Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD.

I do not know about you but I now detest watching television. I’m appalled at the level that many people are using the media in character assassinations and just plain lies.

Forsaking godly principles results in deceit, corruption, lawlessness and greatly increasing slander. All these points are told to us that will greatly happen in the last days.

Unprincipled people shamelessly attack others often on anti-social.”

I’m continually shocked by the shameless and vulgar comments that people are willing to make publicly on ‘social media’ such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

But we will be encouraged by The Precious Holy Spirit’s words in Psalm 31:20:

“In the shelter of your presence you hide us from all human intrigues; you keep us safe in your dwelling from the strife of accusing tongues.”

This verse teaches us that our hiding place is the “the light of his face.” God’s glory conceals us and blinds the powers of darkness.

In this world we can’t avoid being exposed to the strife of tongues nor will we be immune from evil tongues, especially if we are not ashamed of the Gospel. But when God hides us in the secret place of His Person, we’ll have the strength to withstand and the ability to escape one assault after another.

“You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.”

The bottom line folks is that our Father God covers, hides and protects those who trust in him. Yes, our Holy God hides us, and His hiding is effectual, in the secret of the light and splendor of His face because brilliant light has a blinding effect on enemies.