Responding To Lies

Wednesday October 4, 2023

The following Psalm was written by the future King David of Israel at a time in his life when he was being pursued by those who sought to kill him. David called out to God to help him and was explicit in his desire for God to act with revenge against those who were hounding him and speaking lies about him.

I say to the Lord, “You are my God.” Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy. Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle. Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord; do not let their plans succeed. Those who surround me proudly rear their heads; may the mischief of their lips engulf them. May burning coals fall on them; may they be thrown into the fire, into miry pits, never to rise. May slanderers not be established in the land; may disaster hunt down the violent. I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Surely the righteous will praise your name, and the upright will live in your presence. (Psalm 140:6-13 NIV)

Some of the slander that grieved David concerned a priest to whom he had gone for help. An onlooker who was there at the same time exaggerated what he saw to David’s enemy, King Saul. Unfortunately, the outcome was that the help given by the priest resulted in the priest’s entire family, except one son, being put to death. David had to flee and he and the men who gathered with him were hunted like animals. In his grief, David is asking God to bring disaster on his enemies and not let their plans succeed.

David’s prayer is quite different from that of the Lord Jesus who experienced lies being told about Him. Because of His great love for us, Jesus allowed Himself to be rejected, beaten, and nailed to a cross, even though He had done no wrong. In His great concern and love for those who crucified Him, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a NIV) How many of us have caused trouble for others by telling lies about them? If lies were told about us, how would we respond? There is no greater love than we would lay down our lives for our friends. How about our enemies?

Prayer: Gracious God, Help me to love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me so that I may behave like a true child of my Father in heaven. Amen

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Responding To Lies

Audio for Responding To Lies

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