THE PSALMS – A JOURNEY IN WORSHIP AND FAITH - January 3, 2015 - Day 140 - Psalm 140

It is a violent world we live in. There are people who want to hurt you and take your things. When David wrote Psalm 140 he also lived in a violent world. As we should do, David called on God for protection.

Psalm 140:1-6
TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. Deliver me, O LORD, from evil men; preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from violent men, who have planned to trip up my feet. The arrogant have hidden a trap for me, and with cords they have spread a net; beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!

Though we live in a literal world of danger the true battle is not physical but spiritual. Though our enemies appear to be simply men in reality scripture teaches us that there are spiritual realms we cannot see and though modern man denies their existence, there are demonic beings which are behind the plots of man. Ephesians chapter six enlightens us to this fact.

Psalm 140:7
O LORD, my Lord, the strength of my salvation, you have covered my head in the day of battle.

As people of faith God has provided us armor for protection. The Helmet of Salvation as spoken of in Ephesians 6:17 speaks of something much greater than a physical helmet. It speaks of our secure position in Christ that provides a future guarantee of eternal life with God. This guards our minds and protects them from mental breakdown due to worry and anxiety because it means that man can do nothing to us on this earth other than move us closer to Jesus. We need not fear what mortal man can do to us if we wear that helmet.

Psalm 140:8
Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked; do not further their evil plot or they will be exalted! Selah

David prayed his enemies would not be successful in their evil plots. Then he prayed what we call an imprecatory prayer.

Psalm 140:9-11
As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise! Let not the slanderer be established in the land; let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!

David lived in the age of law; we live in the age of grace. Our desire right now should be that of our Lord Jesus which was to take the power of the Gospel to the wicked and vile of the world. Our prayers are that they find salvation in Christ.

Psalm 140:12-13
I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalm 140 ends with a glance at the future. Jesus is coming back and when He does He shall bring the sword of justice and judgment will fall upon those who reject Him. David lived amongst evil and violent men. So do we. Until Christ returns He expects us to growing past our fear and growing past our pain and our anger and to heap coals of fire on our enemies through love and through the Gospel. This requires faith. Look to Jesus today for the faith to be like Him, the one who even while dying on the cross was pleading with the Father to forgive the very ones who mocked Him, beat Him, and murdered Him.