Take My Side, God

Psalm 35

I. God, We Have a Problem

A. David called on God to help with his enemies and oppressors. “A Psalm of David. Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me.” (Psalm 35:1)

B. David needed reassurance down inside that God would handle his enemies and his problems. “Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help. Draw out also the spear,and stop the way against them that persecute me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.” (Psalm 35:2-3)

C. God has many resources to bring to any problem and evil people face many dangers they ignore until it is too late. “Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase them. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them.” (Psalm 35:4-6) “The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.” (Psalm 1:4)

D. People who torment and persecute for private reasons will trap themselves. “For without cause have they hid for me their net in a pit, which without cause they have digged for my soul. Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.” (Psalm 35:7-8)

1. The false accusation, which both David and Jesus experienced, has been common to the believer’s lot in all ages since the rebellion began. “But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.” (John 15:25)

2. Eventually corruption entraps itself. “The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.” (Psalm 9:15)

3. The day of final accounting is inevitable; this is the message of the imprecatory psalms. “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” (Revelation19:1-2) “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:3)

E. Part of asking God for help is praising Him when it comes. “And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. All my bones shall say, LORD, who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?” (Psalm 35:9-10)

II. Enemies Misrepresented David

A. David’s enemies attacked him without cause and he responded by humbling himself before God and mourning. “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not. They rewarded me evil for good to the spoiling of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth: I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom. I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother: I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.” (Psalm 35:11-14)

B. David’s enemies enjoyed his trouble and mocked him as people mock the helpless; remember how Jesus was mocked on the day of His death. “But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not: With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.” (Psalm 35:15-16)

C. David turned to God rather than relying on himself, knowing that God’s victory would give God the glory. “Lord, how long wilt thou look on? Rescue my soul from their destructions, my darling from the lions. I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me: neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause.” (Psalm 35:17-19)

III. Set Everything Right

A. David called on the Lord to notice the lies of his enemies and to remember the truth. “For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land. Yea, they opened their mouth wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. This thou hast seen, O LORD: keep not silence: O Lord, be not far from me. Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.” (Psalm 35:20-23)

B. Show the truth; David was taking action by referring matters to God. “Judge me, O LORD my God, according to thy righteousness; and let them not rejoice over me.” (Psalm 35:24)

C. See that the tormenters get their appropriate reward. “Let them not say in their hearts, Ah, so would we have it: let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour that magnify themselves against me.” (Psalm 35:25-26)

D.Side with those who care for persecuted and abused believers. “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favor my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant. And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.” (Psalm 35:27-28)