Overcoming

DEVOTION

PSALMS

OVERCOMING

Ps 54

54:1 For the director of music. With stringed instruments. A maskil of David. When the Ziphites had gone to Saul and said, "Is not David hiding among us?"

Save me, O God, by your name; vindicate me by your might. 2 Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth.

3 Strangers are attacking me; ruthless men seek my life — men without regard for God. Selah 

4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

5 Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them.

6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good. 7 For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.

NIV

This word translated as vindicate has several meanings and has been translated as judge, or defend in other translations. It has been used to mean rule in other scriptures as well. In the context of this song it might well be seen as David is asking God to judge his situation, or his thoughts, the intent of his heart. This would be appropriate if we are to come to God in prayer. David is going to pray and he wants God to look into his heart and examine his thoughts and intents, so God will know he is right and answer his prayer. God, listen to us, hear our words, examine our heart and know you dwell within it, that our intent is to live to please you, rather than ourselves. That is the framework for prayer, the foundation of prayer. We cannot be flippant about speaking to God, unless of course in an emergency situation and we have no time but to cry out for immediate help. The question then is have we been living for him, have we been seeking him through his word? Have we been listening to the Spirit as he teaches, leads us into the truth? Are we right with God, or have we been simply giving him lip service? There may not be the opportunity to ask him to search us, in those emergencies, but we should know he is there. The attacks David felt are different than those we feel. He was actually under physical attack from Saul, who wanted to kill him. As David traveled about looking for places to hide, to take refuge from Saul, many other kingdoms, or people groups still recognized Saul as the king of Israel. They would have either an alliance with him, or fear reprisal if they offended him and gave refuge to his enemy, David. It may even be the case other people who were not from Israel, who did not know God, were in alliance with Saul and seeking David to kill him. We do not live in that type of culture, although the Wild West some years ago might have looked like it. Even today we, with all the strange events of mass shootings, it seems we have lost some humanity, morality and or a spiritual compass. But the fact remains we believers are under a different type of attack than David was. Those who attack us, actually are attacking God. Ruthless men attack our way of life. They attack the idea of creation, giving way to theories of evolution. They consider themselves as able to control the planet. Their self-aggrandizement has not limits. Our faith is under attack. They think we are foolish to believe the Bible is God’s word, that he is the author of its content. David prayed for God to destroy them or give him the victory over them. This is how we should think, not to destroy them physically, but to triumph over them. We need to ask God to give us the victory over such evil thinking, to have the right words at the right time. He gives the victory. Ultimately we will prevail in the end, but in each day we are in a battle against the foes of God. We have confidence God will deliver us from all who seek to destroy our faith, our life. We will overcome.