Psalm 41:5-6

Psalm 41:5-6

Its politics

Phew! This is not nice reading; I mean who wants to know that there are people who are hanging around waiting for us to die! Who wants to hear that there are individuals meeting together socially and purposefully to discuss our demise and its implications?  Who wants to be told that there are people out there who hate us so much that they cannot wait for our life to end? David had to live with the knowledge that there were those who wanted him dead. Such was their evil malevolence that they had already schemed what would happen when the news got out. 

To make matters worse, a visit from one of these men was just an excuse to make up further lies, to take any statement that the sick king made and turn it into slanderous accusations and complaints about him and against him. These evildoers stood by his bed nodding gravely at his words, feigning friendship and concern and prompting him to speak about affairs of state. Then they would leave his bedchamber, go out to their co-plotters and make up libellous accusations about anything that he had said. What a horrible state of affairs, who would want to be a king? 

In truth, you will find that being a leader in any position can carry similar burdens – even in the church! Prominent politicians have to put up with this all of the time. God help us to never be like David’s enemies and gossip and speculate about anyone, especially the Lord’s servants. 

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