Year 5, Day 240: Psalm 109

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Discipleship Focus: Protection

• Protection: In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray that God might deliver us from evil – even the Evil One.  Sometimes we need God’s protection from the sin around us.  Sometimes we need protection from the sinful people around us.  Other times we need protection from the sin that lies within ourselves. In any case, Jesus’ point is clear.  We need protection from the Father to make it through each and every day.

This is a challenging psalm.  I am always challenged by the tone of this psalm.  My challenge comes because this psalm is so human.

Who hasn’t desired to see their enemies encounter difficulty?  Who hasn’t desired to watch those who oppose them get what we think they deserve?  Who among us hasn’t wanted to know the grace of God for themselves but then ask God to judge their enemies?  That’s what this psalm is all about.  The psalmist is asking for judgment upon the enemies of the psalmist.

In the end, though, while the psalmist’s perspective is clearly human his fundamental need is legitimate.  What the psalmist is fundamentally doing is asking for protection.  The psalmist is feeling persecuted and is asking God to do something about it.  This is not a bad thing.  We should call to God for help against those who persecute us.

But I have to end on this.  A godly perspective asks for our enemies to change and come to know God, not ask for their swift judgment.

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