Psalm 109:6-7

Psalm 109:6-7

May his prayers condemn him!!

Translators seem to have had trouble with some of these next verses. A first reading of verse 6 suggest that David is demanding tit-for-tat!  “My enemy has falsely accused me so now, Lord, appoint someone evil to accuse him, let him see what it feels like.” However, there are reasons to believe that the actual Hebrew text says something like this, “Lord, appoint a wicked man to oppose my enemy and let the accuser Satan stand at his right hand.” This is a powerful request but think about it, if David believed with all his heart that he represented truth and righteousness, that his cause was just, and that the accusations against him were driven by evil, then the Satan must be the mastermind of the sinister scheme hatched against him. David is therefore appealing to the Lord God, a greater power, to turn the tables and to let the Satan use his guile and lies to bring down the enemy. What is interesting is that if this version of events is correct, David believed that the Satan must obey God’s bidding and that his pleas could turn this situation around. 

In the context of the above, verse 7 therefore reads, “When my enemy stands before the Judge and he is tried, let the accusations against him be upheld and may he be declared guilty. May his petitions or pleas (prayers) in the court be used as condemnation (sin) against him.”

I am finding it very hard to think of situations where I might have the courage and, frankly, the nerve to pray such a prayer. I would have to be fully convinced of my own cause and innocence and also the injustice of the accusations against me. I would also have to have reached the point where I could discern that this was a spiritual battle and that the Lord would stand with me and turn the tables on my accuser. This is real spiritual warfare and few of us get close to realising what is going on at times or using our rights as citizens of God’s kingdom to invoke His help and His support against injustice! Let’s learn from this.

 

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