Why
doesn’t God do something?! Day after day the news shows us
horror, injustice and evil – and we feel overwhelmed. With David, we might
protest, ‘How long, Lord, will you look on?’ (v 17). However, prayer submits
the details of our lives to God’s agenda – to his timetable.1 In
the end, we trust in his judgement and justice. Last week’s readings have shown
us a God who defends his people and ultimately brings victory through the
Messiah (Zechariah
14:9).
Here, David – fleeing for his life, suffering injustice, malice and mockery –
determinedly praises God: ‘My tongue will proclaim … your
praises’ (v 28). God is concerned about the stories of our lives, as well as
the big picture.
David’s
enemies are violent and deceitful; they are out to get him (v 7). He keeps on
trying to do things right – praying for his opponents – but they respond with
mockery and bad intent (v 25). The language David uses may seem vindictive (vs
1–10). Yet, here David recognises the reality of evil and expresses his
confidence in God who will, eventually, put things right (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation
18:1–19:2).
Meanwhile, what can we do?
Sometimes,
God calls us to action – for example, ‘Build my house’, as in Haggai and
Zechariah – but it is his agenda. Sometimes we must simply
wait, bearing the unfairness, our weakness and poverty – praying for those who
make our lives difficult (Matthew
5:44). The
agents of evil in our world might sneer at our gentleness and passivity,
misinterpreting it for weakness (vs 19–21), but, like David, we can depend on
God: he is the one who rescues us (v 10), fights for us (v 23), delights in us
(v 27). In the midst of our suffering, we can express joy and gladness, as we
testify to the greatness of our God on whom we depend.
(WorldLive
by Scripture Union, 15th November 2015)
1 New
Bible commentary: 21st century edition, 1994, IVP, p507
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