David had many experiences of God’s
faithful interventions in the times of his past difficulty. Through God’s mighty
hand, he had overcome enemies and enjoyed many triumphant moments. David didn’t
just know God theoretically, he knew Him in experience. Hence he was confident
that God will see him through all his future difficult circumstances. It is so
true that our daily and present interaction with God will all go into building
a strong trust in Him. It helps to build God’s consciousness in each moment of
life, and stay confident that He will never leave nor forsake us.
This experiential knowledge of God in
the past had made David very confident to face the future, no matter how tough it
might seem. It also made David lean on God and trust Him, come what may. So
instead of fretting when he thought of his enemies, he turned to God and
requested His assistance. In verse 13, he asked God to be gracious to him. Notice David recalled God’s past deliverance that
had saved him from near death situations. He now turned to Him for help for his
present foes, who were persecuting him.
Here David seemed to recall the jubilant
celebration of his past victories and so asked God to help him to experience
those moments once again. He desired to have cause to rejoice again. Hence this renewed plea to God. He was so certain
of God’s deliverance again that he felt the victory in advance. Hence in verse
15, he spoke as if the enemies were dealt a serious blow. “The nations have sunk down in the pit which they have made; in the net which they hid, their own foot has been caught.” He saw them being trapped in the scheme of
their own wicked devise. David knew this victory was achieved through God’s
intervention. Those wicked foes that came against him had unknowingly chosen the
path that were hastening them to Sheol, the place of death. They did not know
that they were not coming up against David alone, but that they were also
coming against God, in Whom he had placed his trust.
In this Psalm, David also saw God
universally reigning the world. The LORD is not just the God of Israel, He is also
the God of all the earth. Hence the nations will also have to face His judgement.
In verse 17, the nations had not factored God into their lives, they forgot
that God’s people have Him on their side. So David contrasted the people of the
world and the privileged people who remember their God. The Sovereign Lord will
never forget His own. David used the word needy here to refer to the people
that belong to God. These people who belonged to God and suffered unjustly at the
hand of the wicked should have hope, because their enemy who brought the
affliction, will soon perish. For they
were mere men without the help of God.
Some thoughts from these verses: firstly,
know that no matter how difficult our present moment is, God’s perfect justice
will ultimately prevail. People who come up against us and our God can never
successfully defy the Lord, Who is working on our behalf. Secondly, God’s
deliverance should give us cause to acknowledge and make known His goodness. More
than a reason to rejoice, God’s granted victories should embolden us to
proclaim His goodness. When was the last time we spoke to someone of God’s
wonderful deliverance? Finally, man’s fallen propensity is his worst enemy. Let’s
take our weaknesses to God in prayer. He is our strong tower. We can run into
and be safe!
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