Psalm 140: Lessons on the Blessings that Come from Faith in Jesus
Introduction: Here, David cried out for God’s protection when his enemies slandered him and tried to kill him. His words closely match the trials that he faced when he lived as a fugitive from Saul’s regime. But the authors of the Psalter placed David’s psalm out of chronological order amongst the final psalms. The final psalms were primarily focused on the needs of the post-exile Jewish community. Like David, the post-exile Jewish community faced enemies in every direction. Their enemies also defamed and sought to destroy them. Believers in Jesus Christ also face a spiritual enemy who defames and seeks to destroy them. Thus, David’s psalm has a universal application to everyone who is under attack or facing a trial. To survive his trials, David turned to God. David’s faith and the blessings that he received point to several blessings that are available to anyone through faith in Jesus. These include Jesus’: (1) deliverance, (2) protection, (3) answered prayers, (4) strength, (5) sovereignty, (6) justice, and (7) salvation.
First, when he was slandered and attacked, David cried out to God for deliverance from his enemies. With faith, Jesus also offers you deliverance. Second, instead of relying upon himself, David turned to God for protection from ongoing attacks. With faith, Jesus also offers you His shield of protection. Third, David pleaded for God to hear and answer his prayers. With faith, Jesus will also answer your prayers. But He will do so according to His will and His timing. Fourth, David also turned to God to strengthen him to be able to prevail in his trial. With faith, Jesus also offers you the strength to endure and succeed in the face of a trial. Fifth, David trusted that God was in control. Thus, he prayed for God to thwart the plans of the enemy. With faith, you can trust in Jesus’ sovereignty. No kingdom, person, or evil spirit can defy His will. Sixth, instead of taking justice into his own hands, David pleaded with God to show justice against those who sought to prevent him from becoming God’s anointed king. With faith, You can also trust Jesus to judge evil. Finally, David gave thanks that the “righteous” would be able to “dwell” in God’s presence. With faith, Jesus offers you eternal salvation. Through faith in His atoning death, He will make you righteous and allow you to dwell with Him for all eternity.
1. Deliverance: With Faith, Jesus Offers You Deliverance. Ps. 140:1-3.
God wants you to turn to Him alone when you are in need of deliverance. During one of the many occasions when David’s enemies slandered and then tried to kill him, David cried out for God to deliver him. “For the music director. A Psalm of David. 1 Rescue me, Lord, from evil people; protect me from violent men 2 who devise evil things in their hearts; they continually stir up wars. 3 They sharpen their tongues like a snake; the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah” (Ps. 140:1-3). In the NASB and NIVB, the word “חַלְּצֵ֣נִי” (ḥal·lə·ṣê·nî) is translated as David’s plea for God to “rescue” him. In the KJB, and NKJV, this same word is translated as David’s plea for God to “deliver” him. The time of this psalm appears to have related to the attacks that David faced when he was a fugitive from Saul and his men (Joseph Benson Commentary on Ps. 140:1-3).1
David repeatedly cried out for deliverance. David’s enemies frequently attacked him. But instead of taking matters into his own hands, he prayed for God to deliver him. “Arise, LORD; save me, my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheek; You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.” (Ps. 3:7). “Arise, LORD, confront him, make him bow down; save my soul from the wicked with Your sword,” (Ps. 17:13). “Return, LORD, rescue my soul; save me because of Your mercy.” (Ps. 6:4). “O my God, in You I trust, do not let me be ashamed; do not let my enemies exult over me.” (Ps. 25:2). “Let the lying lips be speechless, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.” (Ps. 31:8). “Stir Yourself, and awake to my right and to my cause, my God and my Lord.” (Ps. 35:23). “God, shatter their teeth in their mouth; break out the fangs of the young lions, LORD.” (Ps. 58:6). “For no guilt of mine, they run and take their stand against me. Stir Yourself to help me, and see!” (Ps. 59:4). “O give us help against the adversary, for deliverance by man is in vain.” (Ps. 60:11). “Save me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the wrongdoer and the ruthless,” (Ps. 71:4).
David’s requests for deliverance included slander. When he was slandered, David also gave it over to God: “A Psalm of David. In You, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be ashamed; in Your righteousness deliver me . . . My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who persecute me … Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon You; let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. Let the lying lips be mute, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt.” (Ps. 31:1, 15, 17-18). “ My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword.” (Ps. 57:4). “Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.” (Ps. 120:2). Satan, the accuser of the brethren, is constantly making charges against you. If you are being slandered, let God defend you.
Satan influences people to slander and gossip against each other. In regard to his enemies, David also lamented the slander that he faced. “3 They sharpen their tongues like a snake; the venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah” (Ps. 140:3). Under Satan’s influence, mankind frequently inflicts harm upon one another through an unchecked tongue. Paul quoted David to highlight the universal nature of slander, lies, and gossip. ‘“They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, there is not even one.’ ‘Their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they keep deceiving,’ ‘the venom of asps is under their lips’;” (Ro. 3:12-13). David also lamented how the tongue can “stir up wars.” (Ps. 140:2). James also gave a similar warning about the evils of an unchecked tongue: “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell … But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (Jam. 3:6, 8). Thus, when you slander or defame others, you submit to Satan’s influence.
Satan will also make accusations against you. Satan will also make accusations against you when you step out in faith to serve Jesus. He makes accusations against believers “day and night.” But you can have faith that your accuser will eventually be thrown down into the lake of fire: “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.”’ (Rev. 12:10; Job 1:6; Zech. 3:1). If you are under Satan’s attack for your past sins, he knows that you are being effective. You can plead guilty to all the charges against you knowing that Jesus has paid the penalty for your sins. If you feel tempted to make accusations against your brothers and sisters in Christ, don’t let Satan use you to discourage another fellow sinner from stepping out to serve Jesus.
Turn to Jesus when you need deliverance2
Jesus also urged believers to pray daily for deliverance from evil. As part of the model prayer, Jesus also urges every believer to pray for deliverance from evil. “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’” (Matt. 6:13). “I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one.” (Jo. 17:15). “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” (1 Jo. 5:19). Are you turning to Jesus each day to seek deliverance for yourself when you are attacked?
Praise God when He delivers you. As our example, David also praised God before nations in his song of deliverance to give God alone the glory. “The God who executes vengeance for me, and brings down peoples under me, who also brings me out from my enemies; You also raise me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent person. Therefore I will give thanks to You, LORD, among the nations, and I will sing praises to Your name.” (2 Sam. 22:48-50; same, Psalm 18:47-49). Thus, you should always use your deliverance as an opportunity to praise God before others.
2. Protection: With Faith, Jesus Offers You a Shield of Protection. Ps. 140:4-5.
God also wants you to turn to Him when you need protection. In the face of ongoing enemy attacks, David also had the faith to turn to God for protection. “4 Keep me, Lord, from the hands of the wicked; protect me from violent men who intend to trip up my feet. 5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and snares; they have spread a net at the wayside; they have set snares for me. Selah” (Ps. 140:4-5). “The Lord by providence and grace can keep us out of the power of the wicked. He alone can do this, for neither our own watchfulness nor the faithfulness of friends can secure us against the serpentine assaults of the foe … Jehovah must be our keeper, or evil hands will do what evil hearts have imagined and evil lips have threatened.” (Charles Spurgeon on Ps. 140:4).3
When others attack you, turn to God for protection. In other psalms, David also recorded how he turned to God for protection when his enemies tried to kill him: “Maskil of David. Give ear to my prayer, O God; and do not hide Yourself from my supplication. Give heed to me and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and am surely distracted, because of the voice of the enemy, because of the pressure of the wicked; for they bring down trouble upon me and in anger they bear a grudge against me.” (Ps. 55:1-3). “A Psalm of David. Hear my voice, God, in my complaint; protect my life from dread of the enemy.” (Ps. 64:1). Like David, seek God’s protection when others attack you.
Turn to Jesus to protect you4
God is a shield to the righteous. In other psalms, David also professed that God was his “shield, who saves the upright in heart.” (Ps. 7:10). God is a shield to anyone who takes refuge in Him: “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. . . As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the LORD is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.” (Ps. 18:2, 30). “My faithfulness and my fortress, My stronghold and my savior, My shield and He in whom I take refuge, who subdues my people under me.” (Ps. 144:2). Jesus can also be your shield when you have faith and depend upon Him.
3. Answered Prayers: With Faith, Jesus Will Answers Your Prayers. Ps. 140:6.
God wants you to have the faith to pray for your every need. As a sign of his child-like faith, David cried out for God to listen to his prayers. “6 I said to the Lord, ‘You are my God; listen, Lord, to the sound of my pleadings.” (Ps. 140:6). “The more danger appears, the more earnest we should be in prayer to God. All are safe whom the Lord protects. If he be for us, who can be against us?” (Matthew Henry on Ps. 140:6).5
David had the faith to cry out to God for help6
Cry out to God when you are in need. God promises to answer your prayers when you call upon Him in faith: “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jer. 33:3). Many psalms begin with similar cries to God for help: “A Psalm of David. Answer me when I call, God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; be gracious to me and hear my prayer.” (Ps. 4:1). “I have called upon You, for You will answer me, God; incline Your ear to me, hear my speech.” (Ps. 17:6). “Hear, LORD, when I cry with my voice, and be gracious to me and answer me.” (Ps. 27:7). “Hear the sound of my pleadings when I cry to You for help, when I raise my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.” (Ps. 28:2). “Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; be a rock of strength for me, a stronghold to save me.” (Ps. 31:2). “Listen to my prayer, God; and do not hide Yourself from my pleading.” (Ps. 55:1). “A Psalm of David. Hear my cry, God; give Your attention to my prayer.” (Ps. 61:1; 142:6). “Incline Your ear, Lord, and answer me;” (Ps. 86:1). “Let my prayer come before You; incline Your ear to my cry!” (Ps. 88:2). As our example, David showed a child-like faith when he cried out for God to hear his prayers.
God hears the cries of those made righteous through faith in Jesus. Unrepentant sin can hinder your prayers (1 Pet. 3:7; Jo. 9:31; Prov. 15:29). But when you confess your sins and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, He makes you righteous so that your prayers can be clearly heard. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person, when it is brought about, can accomplish much.” (Jam. 5:16). If you fail to repent, God can sometimes use trials to bring you to repentance. After you repent, your prayers can be clearly received. “And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them; I will say, ‘They are My people,’ And they will say, ‘The LORD is my God.’” (Zech. 13:9).
David also had the faith to praise God for answering his prayers. As a sign of his faith, David also praised God in advance for answering his prayer and protecting him: “I was crying out to the LORD with my voice, and He answered me from His holy mountain.” (Ps. 3:4). “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.” (Ps. 18:6). “For I wait for You, LORD; You will answer, Lord my God.” (Ps. 38:15).
Thank God when He answers your prayers. David also thanked God for answering his prayers: “In my distress I called upon the LORD, yes, I called out to my God; and from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help came into His ears.” (2 Sam. 22:7). “But know that the LORD has set apart the godly person for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.” (Ps. 4:3). “Leave me, all you who practice injustice, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.” (Ps. 6:8). “In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God for help; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry for help before Him came into His ears.” (Ps. 18:6). “Blessed be the LORD, because He has heard the sound of my pleading.” (Ps. 28:6). Thus, David always praised God: “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His faithfulness is everlasting.” (1 Chr. 16:34). If you fail to make a habit of thanking Him, you may take Him for granted. Even when he was jailed and persecuted, Paul worshiped God and gave thanks: “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to our God and Father;” (Eph. 5:20). Jesus will answer your prayers. But He will do so according to His will and His perfect timing. Regardless of His timing or the outcome, always thank Him in advance.
4. Strength: With Faith, Jesus Offers You Strength During a Trial. Ps. 140:7.
God wants you to turn to Him for the strength to persevere. As another sign of his faith, David did not look to himself for the strength to face his trials. Instead, he turned to God to give him the strength to face his enemies and prevail in his trial. “7 God the Lord, the strength of my salvation, You have covered my head on the day of battle.” (Ps. 140:7). “David cried out to Yahweh (GOD) his Master (Lord, adonai), recognizing Him as the Lord of his life, and no other god. The true God could actually help David, being the strength of his salvation.” (David Guzik on Ps. 140:7) (emphasis original).7
Let God be your strength. David called God “the strength of my salvation,” (Ps. 140:7). God also wants you to rely upon Him. Thus, multiple psalmists also proclaimed that God was the source of their strength: “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart triumphs, and with my song I shall thank Him.” (Ps. 28:7). “Because of his strength I will watch for You, for God is my refuge…But as for me, I will sing of Your strength; . . . My strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my refuge, the God who shows me favor.” (Ps. 59:9, 16-17). “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” (Ps. 118:14). In his song of deliverance, Moses also called God the source of his strength. “The LORD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.” (Ex. 15:2). Isaiah also repeated God’s offer. “Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation.” (Is. 12:2). ‘“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.”’ (Is. 41:10). “They will say of Me, ‘Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.’” (Is. 45:24a). “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thess. 3:3).
Let God protect you with the helmet of salvation. David also proclaimed in faith that God “covered my head on the day of battle.” (Ps. 140:7). Isaiah referred to this as the “helmet of salvation”. “He put on righteousness like a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on His head; and He put on garments of vengeance for clothing and wrapped Himself with zeal as a cloak.” (Is. 59:17). This helmet of salvation is available to all who turn to Jesus in faith against the enemy’s attacks. “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.” (Eph. 6:13). “But since we are of the day, let’s be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.” (1 Thess. 5:8).
Turn to Jesus to strengthen you with the helmet of salvation8
5. Sovereignty: With Faith, You Can Trust in Jesus’ Sovereignty. Ps. 140:8.
God wants you to have the faith to know that He is in control. David had faith in God’s sovereignty. Thus, he pleaded with God to thwart his enemy’s evil schemes to prevent God’s will from being accomplished. “8 Do not grant, Lord, the desires of the wicked; do not bring about his evil planning, so that they are not exalted. Selah”’ (Ps. 140:8). “It is proper to pray that the purposes of the wicked may be defeated, and that they may be led to abandon their designs and to seek better ends. For this, in fact, we always pray when we pray for their conversion.” (Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Ps. 140:8).9
Trust that God is sovereign and in control. In a prior psalm, David promised that “The Lord knows the days of the blameless . . . The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” (Ps. 37:18, 23). “He watches over the feet of His godly ones, . . .” (1 Sam. 2:9). God’s reasons for allowing believers to face evildoers are frequently beyond our limited comprehension: “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is. 55:9). “For who has known the mind of the LORD, or who became His counselor?” (Ro. 11:34). But even when you lack the ability to understand the reasons for a trial or why God allows evil to happen, He still wants you to have faith that He has a greater plan for you: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Ro. 8:28). When evil seems to be everywhere, do you still trust that God has a greater plan for you?
Put your trust in God, even when His plans are unknown. Even when it seems that evil is prevailing, God wants you to trust that He is in control and has a greater plan for good: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5). “Casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Pet. 5:7). “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” (1 Cor. 16:13). “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD.” (Ps. 31:24). “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” (Dt. 31:6). Even if an evil person tries to kill you, your soul remains protected with Jesus: “I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that have no more that they can do.” (Lk. 12:4). The only person that you are to fear is God (Prov. 1:7). And the fear of the Lord is hating evil (Prov. 8:12). Even when evil seems to prevail, do you trust God?
God is faithful. Also as our example, Moses celebrated God’s faithfulness: “Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments;” (Dt. 7:9). “ . . . I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, . . . showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” (Ex. 20:5-6). “and I will remember My covenant, . . .” (Gen. 9:15). Nehemiah, another prayer warrior, also praised God’s faithfulness when he prayed (Neh. 1:5). Do your prayers also praise God for His faithfulness?
Jesus is also faithful. As part of the triune God, Jesus is also faithful to keep His many promises to you: “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9). He is faithful, even when we are not: “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2 Tim. 2:13). This means that you can trust His many promises to you. But you cannot have faith in His many promises if you don’t know them. How many of Jesus’ promises can you name?
6. Justice: With Faith, You Can Also Trust Jesus to Judge Evil. Ps. 140:9-12.
Leave justice and vengeance to God. Instead of seeking vengeance against his enemies, David prayed for God’s divine justice for himself, the poor, and others in need. “9 ‘As for the head of those who surround me, may the harm of their lips cover them. 10 May burning coals fall upon them; may they be cast into the fire, into bottomless pits from which they cannot rise. 11 May a slanderer not endure on the earth; may evil hunt a violent person violently. 12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor.”’ (Ps. 140:9-12). “While God shields and protects his head, theirs has no protection, but the mischief of their own lips which covers them, but with confusion, rather than with defense or safety.” (Pulpit Commentary on Ps. 140:9).10
Jesus protects the poor, the oppressed, and those in need11
Because God is just, He also protects the poor and those in need. Because David faced an enemy who also oppressed the poor and the needy, he warned that God would protect them. “12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor.”’ (Ps. 140:12). Among others, God promises to avenge the poor and the needy. “You shall not oppress any widow or orphan. If you oppress him at all, and if he does cry out to Me, I will assuredly hear his cry;” (Ex. 22:22-23). “He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the stranger by giving him food and clothing.” (Dt. 10:18). “A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, is God in His holy dwelling.” (Ps. 68:5). “The LORD watches over strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow, but He thwarts the way of the wicked.” (Ps. 146:9).
Those who embrace evil will reap what they sow. David pleaded for God to cause his enemies to bear the consequences of their slanderous lies against him. “may the harm of their lips cover them.” (Ps. 140:9). The Bible is clear that evildoers will reap what they sow. “One who sows injustice will reap disaster, and the rod of his fury will perish.” (Prov. 22:8). “One who digs a pit will fall into it, and one who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.” (Prov. 26:27). “You have plowed wickedness, you have harvested injustice, You have eaten the fruit of lies,” (Hos. 10:13a). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a person sows, this he will also reap.” (Gal. 6:7).
God promises to judge unrepentant sinners who slander others. David spoke of “the head of those who surround me,” (Ps. 140:9). This may have referenced the leader of those who attacked him. He may have also been “developing the seed of the serpent imagery in 140:3 (MT 140:4) to lay claim to God’s word of judgment on the head of the serpent and his seed in Gen 3:15.” (James Hamilton on Ps. 140:9).12 For those who opposed God’s will, David’s prophetically prayed, “10 May burning coals fall upon them;” (Ps. 140:10). For those who fail to repent, another psalmist declared that they will one day receive “burning coals of the broom tree!” (Ps. 120:4). “He will rain coals of fire upon the wicked, and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.” (Ps. 11:6).
Take God’s warnings about slander seriously. God warns believers not to slander others: “You shall not go about as a slanderer among your people; and you are not to jeopardize the life of your neighbor. I am the LORD.” (Lev. 19:16; Ex. 23:7) “‘You shall not steal, nor deal falsely, nor lie to one another.’” (Lev. 19:11; Ex. 23:1-2). Lying is so offensive to God that it violates the Ninth Commandment (Ex. 20:16; Dt. 5:20). Lies are also one of the sins that God “hates.” “There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: . . . a lying tongue, and . . . a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19). “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” (Prov. 22:22). Satan is the father of all liars. When you lie, you are under his influence: “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father . . . Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (Jo. 8:44). Thus, no matter what the reason, you should never resort to lies or slander. Small lies can lead to more damaging ones. Ultimately, they grow into judgment.
Lies and deceit lead to even worse sins. For unrepentant sinners, David prophetically prayed, “May a slanderer not endure on the earth; may evil hunt a violent person violently.” (Ps. 140:11). In another psalm, David warned his enemies that their evil would only grow if they failed to repent (Ps. 7:14). God’s warnings about small, unchecked sins leading to even worse sins and consequences is repeated throughout the Bible: “You have conceived chaff, you will give birth to stubble; My breath will consume you like a fire.” (Is. 33:11). “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.” (Jam. 1:15). If there is any small sin in your life, don’t let it grow into a worse sin. Instead, repent of it and turn back to Jesus. If you fail to repent of your slander, you may be judged by your own words. “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matt. 12:37).
Leave vengeance to God. In another psalm, David promised that “evildoers will be eliminated.” (Ps. 37:9-10). Solomon also proclaimed: “For there will be no future for the evil person; the lamp of the wicked will be put out.” (Prov. 24:20). “The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked goes out.” (Prov. 13:9). But God’s justice includes giving sinners every chance to repent. Thus, David warned believers not to be vengeful: “Cease from anger and abandon wrath; do not get upset; it leads only to evildoing.” (Ps. 37:8). “Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written: ‘vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” (Ro. 12:19; Dt. 32:35). “All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.” (Eph. 4:31). God is just and fair. But the time of final judgment of sin is up to Him. Thus, even when evil is rampant, be patient for God to act.
Jesus will return to judge those who reject Him. For those who reject Jesus, He will judge them according to their deeds: “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds.” (Matt. 16:27). “Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” (Rev. 22:12). “I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.” (Rev. 2:23b). Thus, nonbelievers should not treat the promise of Jesus’ justice with indifference. Because His timing is not always our timing, you should never interpret the absence of an immediate consequence for a sin to assume that Jesus does not care. He delays punishment to give everyone the chance to repent (2 Pet. 3:9).
Fear God by hating all forms of lies. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Prov. 9:10; Ps. 111:10). Fearing God includes turning away from evil: “And to mankind He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to turn away from evil is understanding.”’ (Job 28:28). If you want to be wise, avoid all lies.
When you are attacked, trust God to right the wrongs against you. It is part of our sinful human nature to fight back when you are attacked. But, like David, God wants you to leave vengeance to him: “Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’; wait for the LORD, and He will save you.” (Prov. 20:22). When you have faith in Jesus, you have an advocate who responds on your behalf to rebut Satan’s accusations: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” (1 Jo. 2:1). Jesus has also appointed the Holy Spirit to help you in your trials: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” (Jo. 14:16). When you face accusations against you, do you pray for Jesus and the Spirit to intercede on your behalf?
7. Salvation: With Faith, Jesus Offers You Eternal Salvation. Ps. 140:13.
Jesus can make you righteous and allow you to dwell with Him. David concluded with a prophetic praise for the God who makes sinners righteous and allows them to dwell in His presence. “13 Certainly the righteous will give thanks to Your name; the upright will dwell in Your presence.” (Ps. 140:13). “Verse 13 is directed to the LORD himself, and forms both an expression of praise and of confidence. He says that the righteous ‘will give thanks (יוֹד֣וּ ; s.v. Ps. 20:1). As that praise is offered up, he adds, ‘the upright shall dwell in (with) your presence.’ They will live in safety and security in the presence of the LORD, their God, their savior, and their defender.” (Allen Ross on Ps. 140:13).13
David professed that his God would allow him to dwell with God. Because of his faith David somehow knew that God would make him and other believers to become “righteous” and allow them to “dwell in Your presence.” (Ps. 140:13). On other occasions, David also proclaimed in faith that he would dwell forever with God in heaven. “Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, and my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.” (Ps. 23:6). More than being King of Israel, this was his greatest desire: “Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings. Selah” (Ps. 61:4). “One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.” (Ps. 27:4).
Out of love, Jesus died on the cross so that everyone might find eternal life. Out of love, God sent Jesus to die on the cross to allow all who believe to have eternal life: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,’” (Jo. 11:25-26; 14:19). You cannot earn eternal life through your works. What Jesus offers is a “free” gift: “For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ro. 6:23). Your faith alone can bring you the blessing of Jesus’ fellowship: “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9). But merely accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior is not enough to be in fellowship with Him. There are many who have accepted Jesus as Lord but then make no effort to walk with Him. Your faith should include a commitment to accept His invitation for a deeper relationship with you (Rev. 3:20).
Image credit: Jesus Christ Our Deliverer-Part I | FAOGW↩︎
Image credit: david prays – Mayfair Bible Church↩︎
Image credit: Jesus Helping The Poor↩︎
James M. Hamilton Jr., Evangelical Bible Theology Commentary Psalms (Vol. II: Psalms 73-150) (Lexham Academic 2021) p. 467.↩︎
Allen Ross, A Commentary of the Psalms: Volume 3 (90-150), Kregel Academic (2016) p. 848.↩︎