Psalms Sunday #7

Psalm 7

1O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:
2Lest he tear my soul like a lion, rending it in pieces, while there is none to deliver.
3O LORD my God, If I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;
4If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause is mine enemy:)
5Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.
6Arise, O LORD, in thine anger, lift up thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded.
7So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about: for their sakes therefore return thou on high.
8The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.
9Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.
10My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.
11God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.
12If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready.
13He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; he ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors.
14Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, and hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood.
15He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made.
16His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
17I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.

I love this Psalm because David begins it by affirming his trust in the Lord. He knows that God has the power to deliver him from his enemies and he knows that it is not his place to try to deal with them himself.

I thought about this and I wondered, Why do we take matters into our own hands when it comes to our enemies, or any situation for that matter? Is it because we don't trust that God is able to handle our problems? Do we think that He doesn't know what is going on? Or maybe we are just not thinking at all.

God has told us to trust in Him and lean not unto our own understanding. We should acknowledge Him and He will direct our paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

So the conclusion that I come to is that if God is not directing our path (and seeking revenge on our enemies would certainly not be in that path) it is because we are not trusting in Him, but are yet leaning on our own understanding.

I thank God that He allows us and really wants us to lean on His undertanding.