‘What more am I doing than others?’ Day 15

Please read psalm 139:19-22 and Matthew 5:43-48.

In India, where I did most of my schooling, before going to college everyone had to pass high school (10^th grade) and junior college (12^th grade) state level examinations. Since passing the state exams was not easy for many students, their parents would not let them join any extra-curricular activities. In my 10^th grade, after some persuasion, my parents allowed me join my town cricket club. The cricket club’s members were high school or college students and working adults, with the exception of two middle-schoolers. The two - I will call one S., and the other M. (first name initials)- were allowed to join the club because their older brothers were very good athletes and cricket players. The two were classmates and competed in everything, including chores such as carrying equipment. A few years later, I bumped in to S., and I asked him whether he passed the 10^th grade state exam. “M. also failed” was his reply.

People sometimes compete with one another and the competing may turn to aversion or antipathy and sometimes to enmity. When that happens, people want the others to suffer; they bad mouth them; and sometimes pray to God to punish their enemies (I heard such prayers). In today’s text we see such language in David’s psalm “¹⁹ Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me! ²⁰ They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain. ²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? ²² I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.”

Normally we don’t hear such language coming from the mouths of current day saints. However such language is common in some psalms and such psalms are called imprecatory psalms, ex. Psalms 35, 55, 58, 59 etc. In the imprecatory psalms, the psalmist is beseeching and imploring God to invoke His judgment against the enemies of the psalmist, who are also the enemies of God. David as King of God’s Israel- wrote all of the imprecatory psalms except two- pleads for God’s help and action against enemies of Israel and God.   

Coming to Psalm 139, why would David use such imprecatory language after praising God for His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence in the first 18 verses? The truth is David’s enemies do not believe in such a God, and they are opposed to the One True God and also David, who trusts Him. Therefore David is asking, “slay the wicked, O God”(v. 19).  Derek Kidner in his commentary writes, “the hatred in this passage is not spite, but zeal for God.”

Coming to us, dear brother and sister in Christ, let’s ask ourselves these questions –

First, how to I deal with those that oppose, mock and slander my God? Peter provides the answer “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,” (1 Peter 3:15). While Peter instructs us to use gentleness and respect, Jesus wants us to love them (Matthew 5:43-48) and asks us Christians “And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”  (Matthew 5:47).

 Second, and more important, how do I deal with those in my family, at work, or in church who oppose me and sometimes mock and slander me? Ponder with Jesus’ teachings above in mind.

Third, do I like to spend time or even look forward spending time with friends that mock or hate Jesus -who died for my sins and rose for my salvation – reasoning and justifying their behavior as only one minor flaw in otherwise ‘good’ people? Examine yourself.

Last, in all of the above situations/relations, what more am I - a child of God - doing than others?

Lord God, help me to love and pray for everyone, including those who oppose You at a spiritual level and me at a personal level. Equip me with the knowledge, discernment and wisdom to teach them the good news that only Jesus can the save the helpless, sinful and perishing people from their sins. In His name. Amen!