Closer Day 6 | Psalm 35:1-10
Read: Psalm 35:1-10
1Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler
and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation!”
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say,
“O Lord, who is like you,
delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?”
Reflect:
Have you ever had someone come to your defense or speak up for you when you were attacked? How did it feel to know you were not alone in the battle? This was David’s request in this psalm, for the Lord to rise up and defend him. I love that David asks God to remind his soul that God is his salvation. I think we often need this reminder. David was a man of action; he knew how to fight. Yet, he knew that God had to be the one to fight his battle. Can you hear God speaking to your soul, “I am your salvation”?
David also knows that only God can completely destroy the attack against him. The wording of chaff blowing away in the wind brings to mind an image of something that is light and unimportant. Chaff is the remnant of grain after the good part has been removed. The enemies of David are so insignificant in the sight of God that they have already been destroyed, and what is left of them will blow away.
What I love about David is that he always returns to praising God. “O Lord, who is like you?” This is a question worth pondering. We are so busy trying to provide for ourselves, fight our battles, and prove ourselves. But we have access to the Almighty, who will rescue us. Who is like God? No one but God. Who has the view and vision of God? No one but God. Who is capable of rescuing us from any circumstance? No one but God. It is my hope that you take a page out of David’s psalm and look to God as your deliverer, knowing that there is no one like Him.
Prayer:
Lord, please help us to stop trying to wrestle life into submission but instead look to You as our salvation and Lord. Help us to see that there is no one like You and that You are trustworthy with our lives, even when we are dealing with baseless accusations. Lord, please break down our walls of self-sufficiency and help us to look to You to provide for us in every way. Lord, all we have is Yours. It is in Jesus’ name we pray.
This devotional is part of our Closer: 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. Our hope is that this will assist you in focusing your heart each day. To learn more or to get caught up, click here.