Psalm 35
A Basic Outline
Request: fight for me, 1-3a
..plead my cause…fight against those…
..take hold of shield…stand up
..draw out the spear and stop those
Request: speak to me, 3b
..say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
Request: stop those who are after me, 4-6
..let those be put to shame
..let those be turned back
..let them be like chaff
..let the angel of the Lord chase
..let their way be dark
..let the angel of the Lord pursue
Reason: they pursue without cause, 7
..without cause they have hidden
..they have dug without cause
Request: stop them, 8
..let destruction come
..let his net…catch
..let him fall
Response: praise, 9-10
..my soul shall be joyful
..it shall rejoice
..all my bones shall say
Description of enemy’s behavior, 11-12
..fierce witnesses rise
..they ask me
..they reward me…to the sorrow of my soul
Description of my behavior, 13-14
..when they were sick = occasion
..my clothing was sackcloth
..I humbled myself with fasting
..my prayer would return… = repeated prayers
..I paced about as though…
..I bowed down heavily…
Description of their behavior, 15-16
..in my adversity = occasion
..they rejoiced/gathered
..attackers gathered against/I did not know
..they tore/did not cease
..with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed
Request: rescue me, 17
..how long = urgency?
..rescue me from… = request
..my precious life from the lions = urgency?
Commitment to public praise, 18
..I will…in the great assembly
..I will…among many people
Request: don’t let them rejoice over me, 19
..let them not rejoice
..nor let them wink with the eye
Reason for request, 20-21
..for they do not speak peace
..but they devise…
..they also opened…
Request: stop my enemies, 22-26
..do not keep silence
..do not be far
..stir up Yourself/awake
..vindicate me
..let them not rejoice
..let them not say…x2
..let them be ashamed/brought to…
..let them be clothed with shame/dishonor
Request: give my friends reason to praise, 27
..let them shout
..let them say continually
Commitment to praise, 28
..and my tongue shall speak
What sticks out?
David wants two kinds of help at the opening of the psalm. “I want You to fight against my enemy. I want You to comfort me.”
What difference does this make?
If I’m going to follow in the footsteps of David as I talk to You, then I’ll turn to You to be the lead of any response to those who are against me. And I’ll ask for Your comfort… I need to hear from You. However You want to speak to me… Your word, Your creation, Your whisper… I need to hear from You. I’ll never outgrow my need for Your words.
What sticks out?
Two times in v5-6 David asks that an angel be tasked with addressing his enemy.
What difference does that make?
I’m reminded that one of the ways that God intervenes in the affairs of men is through angels. I regularly see how He uses His word. I often see how He uses other believers. I’m learning to see how He directly intervenes in my heart. These verses remind me of yet another vehicle. I have an angel assigned to me! Matthew 18:10; Hebrews 1:14; Luke 13:1-2… Yet another reason to let the air out of my anxieties & to serve with boldness.
What sticks out?
V13-14. David describes his concerns in a way that leaves no doubt to their intensity or sincerity. Sackcloth…fasting = external. My prayer would return to my own heart = ongoing internal. I paced about as though…my friend. I bowed down…mourns for his mother = degree of concern
Where does this make a difference?
Is this in my heart? Am I genuinely concerned about those who are against me? Do I pray repeatedly for those who could care less about my well being?