This psalm is a prayer for God to intervene and take vengeance upon the enemies of God’s people that seek their utter destruction. These assailants collude to wipe God’s people out and to take possession of His promised land. The writer cites God’s previous victories by listing a number of enemies that have tried to challenge Him by snuffing out His children, all of them unsuccessful. The writer then calls for God to display His power in such a way as to permanently end the threat that these would-be executioners pose. The psalm closes with the hope that their vain attempt to challenge the Most High God would serve as an example of the futility in resisting God and threatening His cherished people.
Where I live, enemies loudly proclaim their defiance against the Most High. Their collective voice of opposition to the truth screams for preeminence and worship. It demands to be first, but it isn’t alone. Enemies far more subtle than a roaring dragon conspire to subvert both where I live and among all of God’s people.
These subtle enemies could be people, but more often than not, our greatest foes are those ideas, mentalities, worldviews, etc. that proclaim alternative “truths” than those given us in scripture. They work in concert to draw the attention of people to self-worship and idolatry rather than to acknowledge God as sovereign.
So how can we respond to this situation and echo this prayer in our world?
Paul tells the Ephesians to don their spiritual armor for facing of these incorporeal adversaries. He tells them to stand firm against them and to pray on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests and to always keep praying for the Lord’s people.
The implications are simple: It is God’s battle and He is worthy to be trusted. (That’s why we pray to Him.) He has empowered us to stand and called our brothers and sisters to lift their voice on our behalf. We are not alone, and He will be victorious.
Our full vindication will come when the resurrection is complete and God, once and for all, silences the voices that challenge Him. Until then join the psalmist in his prayer for God to display His power in a way that cannot be ignored and likewise proclaim Christ until he cannot be ignored.
- T.M. (Initials used for security purposes)