(Unlesss otherwise cited all scriptures in this devotional are from the King James Version of the Bible-Public Domain.)
Context
David laments over the trouble that has plagued his life. His enemies are determined to be his undoing, just because of his devotion to God. The lamentation does not define the specifics of his troubles. The psalm is written as a contextual example of how to pray when one is faced with difficulties that are brought on by one’s enemies. The challenges do not have to be identical, but the structure of the prayer provides guidance to the wearied. Instead of slandering his enemies, the psalmist turns his anger towards his enemies over to God. He asks God to give them the justice they deserve.
- The lengthy imprecation of verses. 22– 29 sets up the prayer of praise noted in verses 30– 36.
- It is thought that the final 3 verses of this psalm were added after it was initially written.
Initial Invocation to God.
Verses 1-3: Persecuted Because of Righteousness
Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.
Have you ever been so overcome with trouble and emotional pain that you have felt like a drowning person? I slipped in the pool one day, both of my legs had cramps in them. Instead of letting go and allowing myself to simply float on the water and allowing the buoyancy of the surface to carry me I panicked and sank. This is how David is feeling right now. His enemies were pressing against him. He was tired of crying out to God because it seems as if there was no answer to his prayers. Have you felt that way lately? Have you prayed for peace only to read about the latest disaster in the world? Know that all of this is just for a period of time. It will end eventually. Our job is to share the love of God eve with the hateful. Yes, they will, and must come against us. The devil does not want the world to come to the knowledge of God’s pure love for the people of this world. He will fight us at every attempt to spread the gospel of God’s saving grace. “mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.” Just press on, don’t stop praying – God hears us!
Verse 4: My first complaint against my enemies, Oh God!
They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.
Can you imagine someone hating a person simply because they are doing the work of the Lord? No, right? But it happens and it happens every day. People will walk away from a person, and or an organization, that will not allow lewdness, slandering, nor filthy words on its page, etc. They will never come right out and give the true reason for taking their support from the person or organization, but they will leave none the less. Friends, know that the persons of perdition may even appear to be stronger than we are-but remember that in our weakness God is strong.
Verses 5-6: God, I confess my sins: I may have been ticked off, and I may have said something I should not have said!
O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.
Even though we are called the righteousness of God, we are weak and can find ourselves wrapped up in foolishness. David knows this too. He asks God not to allow his weakness, or sin, to defame God’s name. We must know that we all sin. Every single day – we sin. If not in deed then certainly in our thoughts. So, as we live on social media, know that our posts and our words can lead to a person walking away from God. Speak kindly, no matter how ticked off we are. But and when we have posted something ungodly, go back and apologize to God for shaming His name, and apologize to your readers for losing it.
Verses 7-12: My second complaint against my enemies, Oh God!
Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach. I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them. They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
Once again, the psalmist complains to God about the alienation that he feels because men are deriding him. The people who were his friends are no longer his friends because of his relationship with God. “For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up, and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.” His zeal for keeping God’s word, even within a social circle, has made him an outcast. “They that sit in the gate speak against me, and I was the song of the drunkards.” Here is where the rubber meets the road, my friends. IF the day ever comes where you have to choose between your friends who have come up against a servant of God and the servant of God-make sure that you choose to be a friend to the servant of God! Why? Because in choosing the servant of God you have chosen God. Never ever sit in a seat next to someone who is “trash” talking a servant of God and remain silent. In your silence, you have agreed with them.
Verses 13-18 Lord hear my cry.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation. 14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me. 16 Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.
David looks to The Almighty and once again offers a lament for the persecution that he is experiencing. He is literally complaining to God – not to gripe and grumble about what God has not done for him like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, but to acknowledge that he knows that Yeshua is the authority in his life. We must remember that Jesus did not ask for mercy from the authorities, he did not go to the authorities to save him for the Jewish leaders who were determined to murder him. Likewise, David is not going to earthly authorities for help. He is praying to the Lord who is his “helper” and is “the truth of thy [his] salvation.” The acceptable time for salvation is today. Jesus came to this earth at the that God appointed and demonstrated God’s mercy for all people. There is salvation in no other person, name, nor entity. The metaphor for “waters” is enemies. The psalmist was consumed by the shenanigans of his enemies. He felt as if they were drowning him. So he called on his rescuer-Yeshua!
Prayer: Lord, during our times of trouble remind us that we can call upon you to quench our thirst, strengthen or weary souls, and deliver us from the hands of those who would like to devour us. We are wonderfully protected by you. We need no one else to protect us from the hands of the devil
You Are Not the Only One 
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