I have said before that the Psalms aren't my favorite reading; however, I have gotten more out of reading them this time than ever before. As I have read this time, I have really been trying to keep in mind David's life. This was particularly helpful when reading the 94th Psalm. This is a prayer of David asking for the God of vengeance to shine forth.
As I read this chapter I kept thinking about David and Saul. King Saul was trying to kill David, yet when David had Saul in his power in I Samuel 24 and again in chapter 26, he refused to take vengeance on the king himself. Even though David believed that the Lord was giving Saul into his hand, he still refused to take the life of God's anointed (I Samuel 24:10). He refused to take matters into his own hand and instead waited on the promise of God's vengeance, for David remembered that "the Lord will vindicate his people, and will have compassion on His servants" (Deuteronomy 32:35 & 36). I couldn't help but ask myself what I would have done in David's place. What would you have done?
More importantly, we need to ask ourselves what we do in our day to day life when others hurt us or irritate us. How do we respond when someone cuts in the supermarket line? How often have I glared at them instead of sweetly smiling and waiting the few extra minutes? If someone swerves in front of me while driving, or these days swerves towards me while I walk, do I honk or yell, or send up a prayer for patience? When a friend tells a secret that I entrusted her with, do I tell one of her secrets the first chance I get or forgive them? How about when a loved one shouts ugly words at us, do we respond with love or with our own words of anger back at them?
Although David truly had enemies after him, he refused to retaliate and waited on God to avenge him. Our own examples might not be as extreme as these. Still, we all have times when we can either lash out in our hurt against another or reach out in love realizing that God still avenges His people in His time and His way.
Jane
Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright(c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
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