Psalm 7: The Song of the Wronged (Featuring music from Mountaintops)

[Music] Well, hello everyone and welcome to the Pastor Patrick podcast. My name is Patrick Dailyaly and I am the pastor of Ontario Community Church. It is episode 7 of this podcast and we are going to be going over Psalm 7. I cannot believe how quickly things have been going by. Uh not only regarding just the months as we are in the month of May and my goodness, it's just time flies when you're having fun as the saying goes.

And uh here we are in episode 7 with Psalm 7. So if this is your first time here, I'd like to warmly welcome you to the podcast. Uh what we do is um as of now we're going over the Psalms and uh Lord willing we're going to go through all of the Psalms and we'll just see what happens as we go along. Um maybe we'll have some interviews and we like to feature a song as we have our regular show, our regular podcast here. Um just going through uh the depths of scripture, the beauty and the poetry, the human element that we find in scripture.

So that's just something that's uh really great. Whether you are a Christian or you're not a Christian, you are warmly welcome here. No matter where you are at in life's journey, whether you know the Lord or maybe you've been hurt by the church or maybe you've been hurt by people and you've been distant for a while or maybe you're good. Maybe you've been living um living out the word of God um living and loving like Jesus Christ. That's okay as well.

Um again, no matter where you're at on life's journey, you are welcomed here. And like I was saying, it is uh episode 7 here as we're going to go through this um Psalm 7. There's quite a few verses in here. Um there's 17 verses for us to go through. And um what we like to do here is utilize the OIA method, which is observation, interpretation, and application.

It is the same method that I use for my own sermons. Um but here is more of a more raw and authentic um kind of human feel. I guess it's a lot more informal, so to speak. And so we're going to have a good time today. And um I just hope that whether you're watching or you're listening to the podcast on um any of the podcast providers.

Um I just hope that this helps you grow in your journey wherever you're at. Um because you know, one of the big things is that Jesus meets you where you are and he calls for you. He extends an invitation for you to get to know him, grow in him, and do good in his name. And so Psalm 7 is a song. It's a personal prayer that we find from David, right?

Um where it's talking about a false accusation and kind of that sense of spiritual distress here. And we'll I'll go ahead and read the text. We'll open in a word of prayer. But one of the things that we find in Psalms so much is seeking God when someone has wronged us, right? Instead of seeking revenge, right?

Especially when we're wrongly accused. And I think of not only uh what we find in scripture but also what we find here today in this world that we live in. There are people who are wrongly accused. There are people who you have all these accusations that happen. And um when something bad happens to us, there's a lot of people who want to seek revenge.

and in seeking God and his righteousness and seeking refuge in him is something that well, let's face it, it's more countercultural and it's kind of against uh what us as human beings want to do. And so that's just a another thing to factor in. Uh today we're going to feature a song called Let the Voice of the Lord Speak by uh Mountaintop. So I'm pretty excited about that. Uh so we're going to go ahead and open in a word of prayer and we'll just get right to it.

Uh dear Lord and heavenly father, uh we are so grateful for this time together as uh we have this technology, we have these resources to allow for us to um let the message go through these different channels, be that social media, if someone is watching a social media clip or listening to the podcast on Apple or Spotify or whatever it is, or they're watching on YouTube, whether it is the day that this is being streamed and recorded or whether it is weeks from now, I pray that every single person that uh listens to this podcast or watches this podcast, um that they may come to know you better, that they may grow in their faith, and if there's any hurt, let there be restoration. Let there be reconciliation. Let there be transformation. You are the God of miracles. You are the God of hope and restoration.

We love you so much for sending your son Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life. uh we may we navigate the complexities of the world that we live in recognizing that there is a lot of division in this world. There's a lot of division here in the United States and even division that happens in our own friends and families. Uh we just pray for this sense of peace, understanding, love and unity. Um let there be comfort where comfort is needed.

Let there be healing where healing is needed according to your will. And so we just pray that truth is spoken here that it is taught and it is spoken in such a way that it is understood to uh those who are watching or listening. Um we just pray that uh this this session right this uh episode 7 will honor and glorify you. May we live and love like you. May we grow in you and be on fire for you.

And may we just recognize uh just as so many parables say, may we grow and cultivate fruit. You extend us into the vineyard. You give us this invitation to salvation. You You are the God of safety and security and stability. For you are constant, everlasting to everlasting.

You remain the same. And so may we respond to you. Uh may we be may we be someone that seeks you, seeks your truth and deals in everything in love. It is in the name of Jesus Christ that we um that we pray together and we all say amen. And so we're going to go ahead and read from Psalm 7.

We've been reading through the NIV. That's the kind of the version of choice. It's kind of a fun side note I like to tell people. I preach from the ESV. Um, I study utilizing the KJV and um, when I'm out in the public, I use the NRSV, but for the podcast specifically, I use the New International um, standard, the or New International Version for that.

So, um, different uh, different translations for different situations. I know some people may use one or um, but I just find a great beauty in being able to use different translations, studying them for different audiences, uh, situations and scenarios. So, that's always a fun thing. But, let's go ahead and um open the word. I have um my Bible right here, my little brown Bible, if you guys have ever seen that before.

Um but yeah, we'll go ahead and turn here. So, Psalm 7. Lord, my God, I take refuge in you. Save and deliver me from all who pursue me. Or they will tear me apart like a lion and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me.

Lord my God, if I have done this and there is guilt on my hands, if I have repaid my ally with evil or without cause, have robbed my foe, then let my enemy pursue and overtake me. Let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust. Verse six, arise, Lord, in your anger. Rise up against the rage of my enemies. Awake my God, decree justice.

Let the assembled peoples gathered around you while you sit enthroned over them on high. Let the Lord judge the peoples. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, oh most high. Bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. You, the righteous God, who probes minds and hearts.

My shield is God most high, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who displays his wrath every day. If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword. He will bend and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons.

He makes ready his flaming arrows. Whoever is pregnant, now this is a very interesting verse. Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment. Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out, falls into the pits they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them.

Their violence comes down on their own heads. I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness. I will sing praises of the name of the Lord most high. And that's something that's just very, very powerful language that we find um from this Psalm 7 here. And so when we begin in here, we start off by seeing here where David is saying,"Lord my God, right?

I take, let me go back here." Lord my God, I take refuge in you. Save and deliver me from all who pursue me. Right? He is David is starting out by asking God to defend him rather than this idea, this notion where um he is wanting to save himself. It is this reliance upon God, right?

Um so there are moments where we may feel defenseless or we may feel that it's more appropriate for us to seek God and asking him to defend him. And so in in this sense, it's kind of this feeling right as we're going along. I take refuge in you, save me and deliver me from all who pursue me. It's going on when it says that um or they will tear me apart like a lion. Right?

That's some very and and rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me. And I'm sure for a lot of us when we are reading this, we can identify with situations where we feel that we are going to get torn apart. And just like we find very often in in the book of Psalms here, it is a invitation for us to turn to the Lord in our distress, in our moments, right? Um where we are making a petition to the Lord, right? And and there are times where we feel that we are being attacked, where we are feeling kind of ripped apart.

And that's a lot of kind of the human well the human condition where we live here on the earth being torn apart. And and in this case it could certainly be an accusation, right? It could be slander. People are talking trash so to speak. How many of you have ever felt that way where you felt that you are being torn apart spiritually or emotionally?

People are spreading rumors, right? They're saying nasty things that are not true or they are accusing you of that. And this is the situation that David is having. And look, when we feel um wrongly attacked, it's very we're a lot of us, even myself included, may feel kind of this urge, this rush to defend yourself, like, hey, you're you're in the wrong here. You you shouldn't be saying these things.

You shouldn't be um I I think of the culture that we live in when we're thinking of social media. When we think of this idea of people posting whatever they want even if it's not true well they in on one side they do have the freedom to do that but at the same time if it's wrong well that's something that's very different and so this idea of us rushing to um wanting to defend ourselves when someone is speaking slander right or they're talking trash like I said how often do we go to God in that that's a kind like when I think about that I don't We live in a world where someone talks trash, we want to fight back. Um, but here in verses in a verse like this, it's like not so fast. Turn to the Lord, right? And that's the case of what David is doing, right?

Um, save me and deliver me from all who who pursue me. Who has been pursuing you in a wrong and a negative way? Who has been trying to tear you apart like a lion? Like what what what we think of a lion, right? or um kind of any animal that is stronger.

They're faster than a lot of human beings and they can completely uh decimate or destroy us and yet um seeking God in that instead. It is a challenge for us with no doubt about that. Rip me to pieces with no one to rescue me. Well, I certainly want to seek God especially when it comes to people who are um doing these nasty things to me and and and for you. Maybe you are in a situation or you have been in a situation where people are wrongfully spreading rumors or or they're trying to tear you apart.

Seek God in those situations. I know it's very Look, I'm not saying what they're doing is right at all. Here in the text, it's David is seeking God. And maybe that's a challenge for you. I know it's a challenge for me.

Seek God in those times where there are rumors or anything that's happening in here. And it then goes into we we go into the verses 3 3:5.Lord my God, if I have done this and if there is guilt on my hands, if I've repaid an ally with evil or without cause have robbed my foe, then let my enemy pursue and overtake me. Let him trample my life to the ground. Right? And and so he's kind of saying, look, if if there's anything that I've done wrong, right?

Like I need to know about this, right? He's asking God to examine my heart. And and this actually reminds me of what we find um in in another psalm. So, we'll turn there in just a second. Right.

It it's kind of like asking God to search your heart or to examine your heart. You know, I think of how very often um you know, here at on at the church at Ontario Community Church, we do communion once a month. And that's just something that we choose to do. Um not to say that the frequency of communion is there's a right or wrong to that. just says we are to do this in remembrance of Christ.

And what's very interesting is that when we are taking of communion, there's always this call to examine your heart, right? Um for us to examine our own hearts. But the difference is here David is asking God to examine his own heart, right? That that's something that's very interesting. When is the last time you have asked God to search your heart and see if there's any evil intent?

I mean, that's something that I just don't think we find very often. But maybe you are a person who does examine their heart all the time. But it is regardless if you have never asked God to examine your heart or if you do all the time, it's very important for us to recognize that there are situations where we should or can ask the Lord to examine us. Having this kind of uh checkup, you know, um kind of this divine checkup, right? I kind of think of how um when we go to the doctor, we have a physical, right?

A physical examination to see how we're doing. Um perhaps it might be good for you to ask God to see how you are doing, to do a checkup kind of thing. Um and so in that it later on in the verse was saying um if there if you're finding evil in my heart or if there's something wrong that I've done, then let the let the evil the enemy overtake me. Right? Which is interesting.

It says, "Then let my enemy pursue and overtake me." Because David is willing to face the consequences if he is truly done something wrong, if he is guilty. And now that's that's insane to be very honest with you, right? Um how many of us are willingly wanting to accept the consequences of the wrong that we do? That that's a much more difficult thing for us to to think about. And so challenge yourself.

Can you be that honest with God to ask him to search your heart and to see how you're doing and be willing to face the consequence? I mean, yes, I understand this is written in the Old Testament, but even in the New Testament or even now, if we go all the way to now, we can certainly ask God to make sure that we're on that straight and narrow path in seeking God and his righteousness, in seeking the newness of life, putting on the new self or um learning the ability to discern. Right? So, it's perfectly okay to ask for God to be honest in prayer and asking, "Hey, how is my heart doing? How is my h I want to have a spiritual checkup as it were." So, that's kind of some medical language that we can think of.

Um, but it's interesting nonetheless. And I want to go ahead and turn to Psalm 139. Some of you may know this verse. It's Psalm 139. Um, in here, um, it's actually a pretty famous one.

Uh, you may, you may not know it. Um, but it's Psalm 139:23, right? Um, search me, God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. You could even go to that verse 24.

I mean, like, like I'll even go, let's go further back. Verse 19. If only you, God, would slay the wicked. Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty. They they speak of you with evil intent.

Your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, Lord, and the ones who are in rebellion against you? I have nothing but hatred for them. Right? Hating what the the wickedness, right?

Um and then here's that famous line. I have I have nothing but hatred for them. I count them my enemies. Search me, God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there's any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting. That is some devotion to God that we can find here. And um that's another psalm from David that we can really take and consider that is directly connected to what we're finding in Psalm 7. So when David is asking if I've done anything wrong, if I've done um repaid my ally with evil or I've um without cause robbed my foe, then I'm willing to face the consequences. That's something that is a much more mature thing or a much more difficult thing for us to do.

But one thing that we can do if we want to have that spiritual examination from the Lord perhaps would be to look at that verse asking God to search your heart, right? To see how is your heart, how is your heart posture towards the Lord, right? Um your posture, right? Do you have a softened or a hardened heart kind of thing? And know my heart.

It's more of kind of an in inviting God into your own heart. Much like how we think of salvation, right? We receive the free gift from sal um from the Lord, the free gift of salvation from God into our very lives to transform us. We can still ask God, no matter where you're at, into our hearts to examine us to see, hey, maybe you're maybe you're not doing so well. Maybe you're doing good here, here, and here, but here needs a little work on, right?

Again, it's no different than that u physical checkup that we get in the real world. And so, that's something that's extremely powerful. That is the um the recognizing of that. So we then go into verses 6-9 where right it's David saying all right Lord in your anger rise up against the rage of my enemies right where it's interesting where David is asking God to go against his enemies he's not seeking for revenge but he's calling for divine judgment this is one of the many patterns that we find in scripture I really want you to think about this relying on God rather than your own works or your own merit. And it's something that's challenging for us, especially in the culture that we live in.

When someone does wrong to us, we want to seek revenge, right? It's kind of that famous saying, an eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth or a life for a life. When we're thinking about this here, this this whole idea, David asking God to in your anger, God, so God, you're the one, you are the righteous judge. you rise up against the rage of my enemies, right? Let um decree justice upon these people, right?

So, it's this fully relying on God and his justice rather than our justice. That's a challenge. That certainly is a challenge, right? Calling for the righteous judge to decree justice on him, right? And so he wants justice that restores people rather than just retribution because we have to think um many of you may know of the parable of the um of the wicked judge, right?

Or the parable of the persistent widow. So that parable, it's a sermon that I went over at Ontario Community where you have this widow who is crying out for justice from the wicked judge. And the text literally is talking about that the judge is getting so bothered that this this widow is just bothering him day in and day out that he's going to give her justice. And the whole premise that Christ is talking about in that parable is how much more will God give justice to those that love him, right? Those that are loyal to him.

That's pretty much the premise showing that God's justice, right? God's mercy, much like God's love and God's holiness, is so much greater than what we find here on the earth. And I bring that over here because we think about how David is saying, I'm trusting in your divine justice. How many of us do that? Right?

It's it is a challenge, right? We there's a lot of us here that that may cry out for justice, right? much like that um persistent widow crying out to the judge. I remember there was one person that that told me um you know I I need to call my judge more often and cry out for justice kind of thing or I need to be more persistent in people doing their job. But it's not saying that God doesn't do his job but it's that prayer saying God I'm going to trust in you to be the divine judge here.

And so maybe um when you are praying, right, certainly when we're in those situations, we're being slandered, right, when people are rising up against us, we're certainly going to pray for comfort. I I know for me, like I'm like, Lord, I don't know why these people are doing this. Can you comfort me here? But another thing that we can do is pray for God's justice to um be decreed, right? That same kind of language.

And that's a very interesting thing, right? um pray for truth to prevail, right? That um darkness will flee, that the light will shine and and the darkness will be no more or that the truth will expose the lies. That's a prayer that we can have and that's something that well, it's something that is much we can think of how we want our name to be cleared, right? that we want uh things to just goes more smoothly for us.

But also think about your enemies praying for those that are praying to the Lord about in regards to those that are against you. And that's something that is not a very common thing here and it's something that we can do. We can ask God for his righteousness, right? To act in righteousness, right? Even when you can't.

And I think that's the very difficult thing. We get so angry. We get so frustrated about when people are doing these wicked things, these evil things again, slander or or spreading rumors, whatever it is. Well, you may not be able to do something about it, but you can certainly come to the Lord and ask him for that divine intervention for him to um use his justice. And so, that's something that we certainly can do.

And so that's basically the plea before the Lord. We now go then into the um punishment. Oh, let me go back for a second here in verse 8. Let the Lord judge his people. Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity.

Bring an end, bring to an end the violence of the wicked. What a prayer. Certainly pray for the ending of violence, right? When we think of that um the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. What a prayer thinking about that.

Lord God, I am going to pray that there is an end of this wicked violence in the world in your community in your city. Maybe you know someone that is violent. Violent and wicked. Sorry, I thought I heard something there. Um making the righteous secure.

What a prayer to pray that um God will protect you from any evildoer or any wicked person. That's another thing, right? Um you the righteous God who probes the minds and hearts. Well, perhaps in the same way that you can ask for God to search your heart and do that self-examination, perhaps you can pray for those who are against you and ask God to convict their heart because they may have a s excuse me, they may have a hardened heart. Perhaps it is important for you to pray for someone who has a hardened heart that it may be softened that God can work in and through them.

Right? It's something that I always say at the church. Let God work in and through you. Right? Continuing to be transformed.

But for those that are wicked, those that don't know the Lord, those that are just doing um sin, right? they're in constant sin. You can pray to God that there will be a changing of mind and a softening of the heart. It's what we know as a metaninoia. This is something that I went over in the um in the sermon.

Very often we hear this word repentance as the changing of mind. But there are a few times in scripture that talks about the heaviness, the grief, and the sorrow that leads you to change your mind. And certainly that should lead you to act upon the changing of mind, right? That's a big thing, right? Um and so that's something that's I I I don't want to go too much into um Sunday's sermon, but that's something for us to keep in mind.

Pray that God will change someone's mind, soften their hearts, or maybe have that heaviness of heart to do something to to do life differently, right? and and that's that I just don't think that's a common prayer. I think of my own prayer life that's not a very common thing that I pray for. But that is something that perhaps if you are in that situation that's something that you can do. We go now to verse 10 through13.

My shield is God most high who saves the upright in heart. And that's a beautiful that's something that should help us be more confident in the Lord when we think of him that God protects those, right? He protects the Christian, right? He protects those that love him. And he's warning he God warns people that don't believe in him, those that don't repent.

And again, repentance, the changing of mind, right? And that can be through a light bulb moment. It could also be through grief and through sorrow. Some people would call that conviction, right? The heaviness of heart.

And so it goes on, my shield is the most high who saves the upright in heart. Again, that's about the posture of your heart, right? Is your heart softened to the Lord or is it hardened towards the Lord? God is a righteous judge, a a God who displays his wrath every day. That's a verse that's a little more um harder and heavy, but it is from the word of God.

something we need to factor in. If he does not relent, he will sharpen his sword. He will bend and string his bow. He has prepared his deadly weapons. He makes ready his flaming arrows.

It's thinking about when we think about the Lord. The Lord is patient. He is kind and merciful. Just like how God gives us a certain amount of time to live here on the earth, God also gives us the time and the opportunity for us to receive salvation through faith, right? And to be changed, to be transformed in that, this is what I tell people at the church all the time.

You come to know Christ through salvation. That is the most important thing for you. In that you grow in the Lord by learning more about scripture, what it means to be a Christian, to live it out. And then from there, you are moved. You are mobilized to be on mission for Christ.

when we talk about Christ's mission to make disciples to share in the gospel message to be an ambassador for Christ is a very important thing for us that God is patient and he gives us a certain amount of time but not forever and I'm speaking of this forever meaning God gives us a certain amount of time here on the earth and a certain amount of time for us to know him grow in him and do good in his name. And so that's to show the Lord is patient, but he will do he will have his justice. It it it doesn't mean that um because when we think of a lot of people, they they say God is love, and certainly God is love, but God is also just. So he's not going to wait forever and just be taken advantage of by people. He will see to it that what he has promised will be fulfilled.

And when we're thinking about justice, it will happen. But because God is kind and merciful, he will give you time to change your mind. He will give you time to to turn from your sin, right? He'll give you time to come to know the Lord. He'll give you time to share in the gospel.

That that's uh something I've mentioned many times um to Christians and to the congregation is that um this isn't my idea. I've heard this before. I don't actually don't remember who it is from. It might be Billy Graham. It might be a famous pastor, but it's this idea that um when we are with the Lord, when we're in the in God's presence, right?

When we are no longer here um in this life, but we're having eternal life with the Lord. The difference between here and there, heaven and earth, so to speak, is that we won't be able to share in the gospel with those that don't believe. And that's a very like, oh man, that's heavy. That's absolutely heavy. And again, in the same way here, God is patient, but he will do what he needs to do in his timing.

That's the hardest thing, right? We want things done on our timing, but when it comes to God, it's all about him and his timing. when it comes to how long we live here on earth. Um, and then how long people will have to turn to the Lord, those kind of things. How long we'll have to share in the gospel, how long we'll have to, uh, learn the word of God and to live it out, those kind of things.

So, um, in that, don't miss out on an opportunity to come to Christ. Don't miss on an opportunity to grow in him. Don't miss on an opportunity to share in the gospel message, being that representative for Christ for others. Um, that's all part of the Christian walk, the Christian faith that we have. And so, do you, let me ask you, do you trust in the Lord enough to let him handle um any wrongdoing or any injustice?

That's a difficult one and it certainly let this challenge you. You don't have to feel bad about it, but just something that you as you examine the text and you go through this, you think about these kind of things. Do you trust God enough to let him handle evil? To let him handle injustice or wrongdoings kind of thing. And so a challenge that you can do, maybe there is an enemy that you have.

Maybe there's just somebody you just don't like. Pray for them. Pray that God will work in and through um their life. But you can also pray that um release your enemies over to the righteous judge. That's something that you also can think about.

So yeah, that's when we're thinking about um the punishment then. And we then go over into um verses 14- 16. And this is such an interesting verse here. Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to the disillusionment. Right?

What is in the world is that right when I first read that being pregnant with evil, right? What a what's descriptive language that we can um think about. And then it goes on in that next verse where it says, "Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit that they have made. It's showing how David is trusting in God's timing, in God's divine justice." Right? Well, imagine if you made a pit and you were going to use it for evil and you fall in your own pit.

Yikes. Right? That's difficult, but it's going to show that they will, the evildoers will reap what they sow. Uh there's a lot of people that talk about karma. Um when they say, "Oh, you know, karma is going to bite you.

Karma's going to get you." But when we think of scripture, especially in verses like this, it is the idea that wicked people will reap what they sow. So instead of saying something like, "Uh, karma's going to get you," maybe you should just say, "You're going to reap what you sow." And that that's some heavy language. um to think about instead of using the word I mean you can use whatever word you want. Um, but I've always found that very interesting that there is scriptural stuff talking about reaping what they sow such as in verse 15, digging a hole and scooping it out falls into the pit they've made or being u when you think of being pregnant, right? Pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to the disillusionment, right?

So, we can see kind of this parallel with that. Um, and I kind of in my notes is that God's justice is beautiful, right? It's you would even say it's poetic, so to speak here. Um, that God is just in that. And isn't that interesting that the evil people, the the pit that they made or the pregnancy that they'll have, they'll birth something that will um give them well, they're going to have it coming, right?

They're going to reap what they sow kind of thing. Uh we find that um even in I think it's in Galatians where it says that um God is not mocked. You will reap what you sow. I think that's Galatians 6. Uh let me see here.

Galatians. Let's see here. I'll have it in the notes. But yeah, there's basically there's a verse in there that said that God is not mocked. You will reap what you sow kind of thing.

I'm like, "Oo, see even there, uh, that's something that we find." And so it it all goes back when we think of this entire psalm. Are you going to try to um are you are you going to seek revenge or are you going to trust in God's righteousness? Right? Are you going to let God handle when your enemies fall? Are you just trying to get even?

We are called to something that is much higher. Right? Even when Christ is talking about turning the other cheek, that's a difficult one. That's not an easy one, right? Or or giving your coat to someone.

But we think of how God is the God of transformation. That God is calling for us to be more like him, to be holy, to be more righteous, right? Um we think of how God wants us to be to seek the things that are higher like it mentions in Colossians. And so I would call for you to pray for your enemies. Pray for your enemies for the changing of mind.

Whether that's that light bulb moment or it's grief and sorrow that gets them to change their mind. And may they act upon that because something and I guess I'm mentioning a little more of the sermon here, but realize um Judas was convicted but yet he still did evil. So part of it is the light bulb moment to change your mind, but you still have to act upon that repentance, right? Um you still have to believe in the Lord. You can have that realization, oh Jesus is Lord, but I'm not going to believe in him.

You can have that moment. I feel this heaviness and conviction of sin, but no, I'm not going to believe him. May you when you pray for your enemies and also even for you have that light bulb moment to realize who the Lord is that he is all that you need. He is savior and lord and believe in him because of that. That's where you see repent and believe that's the whole premise of that.

um when you hear that kind of language in here. And so certainly pray for your enemies that they have the changing of the mind and that they respond to the Lord and that they become restored unto God. And then this leads us then into verse 17 here where it says, "I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness. I will sing the praises of the of the name of the most high." And so instead of, you know, when people are doing wicked things, right, we're using slander as the example that frustrates us and that can even cause us to be bitter because we're so angry we want to get even. But letting go and letting it sending it off to God.

I'm going to trust in you. It's not this bitterness, but it's actually saying, I'm going to give thanks. This sense of gratitude towards the Lord is something that what what do you mean you're not going to be bitter? What do you mean you're not going to exhibit hatred and want to seek revenge against your enemy? He's saying I'm going to give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness.

I will sing the praises of the name of the most high. And so knowing that God is is the just God, he will decree justice as the language has said. Well, you praise God because of that. Because God has the final word. He has the final say, so to speak.

Even well, even when we don't realize it. Even when I look, in those moments when we're facing the heat, we're facing that kind of tension and we get anxious, offer it to God. Certainly offer it to him. And so ask yourself, can you praise the Lord even when you're in the midst of that? Even when you're the midst of slander or accusations, can you praise God even when there's when you're in a situation that's not being resolved?

That is a challenge for you. I certainly know it's a challenge for me. Um, but it's a challenge. We're not perfect, but we're called to be more like the Lord. And so that's something to think about.

And maybe if you've gotten out of maybe you know someone that slandered against you and they had they finally they they fell into that pit. You can praise God because of that. Be like I praise you because you knew what you were doing, right? Um praise God for his justice even if that justice hasn't happened either. That's a challenging thing for sure.

And so that's something we we have to think about it. This Psalm 7 is a pretty challenging one when we're talking about slander and we're talking about people with um well basically they're wanting to tear you apart like that lion. What descriptive language. But yet yet in that they're going to fall into their own pit. Um but certainly I would encourage for you that you pray for your enemies.

I would encourage for you to pray against the wrong that they're doing, but pray for their heart. That it'll be changed, that it'll be softened, that there'll be this light bulb moment or this sense of sorrow, this sense of grief for the wrong that they're doing. And because of that, come to the Lord or come back to the Lord. Maybe there's a hardness of heart and they already know the Lord, but they need to return to the Lord. Pray for that.

And praying for your enemies, I just don't think is a common thing that we see, but it's something that uh we find here in Psalm 7. We find elsewhere in scripture. So, let this be a challenge for you. And um before we go into the eye, the interpretation, this that's just the observation, right? Um in that, we're going to go ahead and play a song.

Um it's called Let the Voice of the Lord Speak by Mountaintops. I could not find a lot of information about them, but I what I could find will be in the description, but it's a good song. Um, it's just a time for us to reflect on what we've been talking about, right? Let the voice of the Lord speak, right? Think talking about God's justice, right?

Um, it's kind of capturing the heart of what we're talking about here in Psalm 7 for God to speak louder because God will speak louder than slander, than rumors from other people. And there's truth to be spoken because truth, right, Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. There's newness of life in the Christ and God being the truth. Powerful lyrics. And so, um, if you are mountain tops and you're you're listening to this, really love your song.

Very beautiful song. And we have to think that God's voice is louder than rumors, than slander, than chaos. And so I want you to take a moment to listen to this song and we'll keep [Music] going. There is a child in each of us that's desperate for a father's love. There is a longing deep within that hopes to hear his voice again.

Let the voice of the Lord speak and give us ears to hear. Let the sound of rejoicing drown out all our fears. All our [Music] fears. There is a grace that carries us all that sees the worth beneath our foes. There is an opening over our heads that his voice will speak to our brokenness.

Let the voice of the Lord speak and give us ears to hear. Let the sound of rejoicing drown out all our fears. All our fears. [Music] Let his voice fill our days. Let his joy be our praise.

Let the sound of healing be released. As the voice of heaven's triumph sings, let his voice fill our days, let his joy be our praise. Let a sound of healing be released. As the voice of heaven's triumph sings, let the voice of the Lord speak. never seems to [Music] hear.

Let the sound of rejoicing try all our fears. All our fears [Music] There is a lonely deep within that host to hear his voice [Music] again. All right. Well, we are back. That was a really beautiful song.

Really appreciated that. So, yeah, feel free to check them out. Um, I will have some um, uh, some information from Mountaintops if you'd like to go ahead and connect and check out their music. Uh, yeah, feel free to do that. And we're going to go ahead and move on from there.

Um, we are now at the um, interpretation. So, as I've mentioned, we use the OIA method. Observation, what does the text say? Interpretation, what are the lessons that we can learn? And then finally, application is what can we do about this?

And it's all based on this idea that the Lord is the righteous judge. Right? If we if we go back to verse 11, verse 10 and 11, my shield is God most high who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge. A God who displays his wrath every day.

Right? Um but for this sake, we're just talking about this whole context, this whole idea of what Psalm 7 is presenting, that God is the righteous um judge. And we have to think about our inner life, right? This idea of self-examination for who we are and what is our heart posture. Have you asked that question about asking God to search your heart and for God to know you better, right?

And and God um God will do that and it's something that we should pray about. And so David isn't he's not going to seek revenge. Instead, he's going to seek God. He is turning to God with this kind of raw and authentic prayer because that's the beauty of the Psalms is that they are there's that human element. They are raw.

They are authentic and it's a prayer for truth and for justice. And we have to think about that. The first thing the first thing lesson that we can learn is that there's a lot of people that may misunderstand you. They may misunderstand your heart. But God certainly knows who you are, right?

There's a lot of situations where people are going to question you. People are not going to understand who you are as a person, what you're about kind of thing. We have to remember that we are always growing. There's a call for us to come to know who the Lord is and for us to grow in him. Of course, the world and other people, maybe even other Christians, unfortunately, might not understand who you are.

Well, the reality is we're not perfect. And sadly, there's people that will question our integrity, our intentions. They may twist our words. And of course, there's always people that may judge you right right on right off the bat without knowing the full story of who you are. And that's that's the hard truth.

That's the reality of the world that we live in. And so, what I want for you to think about when you're considering this Psalm 7 is this idea that there will be times where we are judged. There will be times where there will be people who will slander us, misjudge us. And that doesn't mean that you have failed. It just means we live on this im we live in this imperfect world with imperfect people.

It means that we are human and certainly we're here on this earth where there's well there's sin and there's suffering, there's slander, there's all these different things that we have to go through. And in this then well God understands who you are. In 1st Samuel 16:7 it's a verse that says that man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord looks at the heart. And that in my mind is something that is very very important for us even today seeing the connections within scripture. In fact, let's just turn over there for a second.

Chapter 16 7 in verse 6. When they arrived, Samuel saw um Eliabin thought, "Surely the Lord's anointed stands here before the Lord." But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him." The Lord does not look at the things people look at. Right? This is the NIV. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

And what a truth that is, right? I I mean, even that earlier in that verse, um considering um his height or his appearance. So you you don't have to be good-looking. What matters is who you are as a person regarding the Lord. that I mean that gives me a lot of comfort knowing that you you don't have to be the best looking person and all that matters to God is your heart towards him.

Are you ready to receive that salvation? Has your mind been changed? Is your heart ready to receive in that? And so, like I said, people may misunderstand you, but God doesn't. God knows who you are.

And so that's that's very powerful. That goes into our second one then where um when it's talking about we learn that David isn't demanding to be heard, right? He is submitting to God to search his heart. And so I put here, vindication doesn't come from proving yourself. It comes from walking in integrity.

And so we have to think there's a there's a proverb here that I want to share with you. Proverbs is also a really good one. Um I was talking to someone um last week. It's it's advice that I've learned that I love sharing with people is that Psalms is more for the hurting or the elderly. Um and that Proverbs is more for those that need instruction typically for the young.

However, those that are seeking instruction for their lives and that parables are for everyone. And I've been preaching through through parables and um yeah, Psalms is more for those raw emotions also for the elderly, right? When they're thinking about the life that they've lived. But anyways, in Proverbs chap 20:es 6-7, it says um many claim to have an unfailing love, but a faithful person um who can find the righteous lead blameless lives. Blessed are their children after them.

Um and so we just have to think when David is saying, "If I have done this, then let me let me face the consequences." And as I mentioned before, that is not a common thing. Asking God to search your heart and and and to face the consequences. Asking God, I I I want to face the consequences. That's a much more difficult thing. But again, vindication doesn't come from proving yourself.

It comes from walking in integrity. And this leads us then into the third point here where um when we think of God right God's justice is his right justice belongs to God it's God's job and trusting in God that's our job that's our responsibility and Psalm 7 is showing us that God is that shield. He is the protector for us but he is also the judge. So the the image that we can think of is God is the sword and the shield. He protects his own, right?

Or you could even think of the rod and the staff, the sword and the shield. He protects, but he also is the righteous judge. We also have to think justice will happen in God's timing. God's timing is well, it's his perfect divine timing and we don't always understand that. Um, but his judgments are true.

There's a scripture in Romans chapter uh 12 verse uh 19. I want to turn over there real quick. Uh Romans 12:1 19. It's a good one. Um I'll just start with verse 17.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. And then the verse 19, do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath. For it is written, it is mine to avenge.

I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but be over but overcome evil with good.

That's those some difficult ones but it is the truth. And so we have to think people may misunderstand us. Um and we have to also trust in God's justice. And even that second point that vindication doesn't come from proving yourself. It comes from walking in integrity.

And you know what? I love the fact when we think when we're considering all of this that God measures our heart. what God is concerned about. When we think of us as Christians, it's about what the Lord has done for us rather than what we can do. And so often um what we can do is fight back.

What we can do is prove ourselves, right? What we can do is we can say vengeance is mine, but flip it on its head for a second here. Instead, knowing that God knows us, right? knowing that it's about God and his divine timing in his time and what God has done for us and then also the fact that God's got this. You just got to trust in him, have faith in him and believe in him.

And so when people wrong us, when people do the wrong thing, it's not about us fighting back. It's us trusting in the living God to walk in the truth, right? to walk in the life seeking the things that are higher. God knows what's going on, right? He sees, he knows, he vindicates.

And so, because of this, this leads us then into the final one, which is the application. How do we live this out then? Well, let Psalm 7 resonate with you. When we think about anyone who has been slandered, who has been um well accused, falsely accused, right? How do we respond with integrity and trust?

And number one is to take refuge in God, right? Lord, I take just right like in the very beginning in Psalm 7 where it says here, Lord, my God, I take refuge in you. That's what you can do is take refuge in him. Don't don't seek that revenge, right? Don't let um run to God first instead of running to attack your enemies and consider your posture, right?

Um inviting the peace that comes from him, right? Inviting the calm and the comfort. And when look I know for when we consider social media we think of Tik Tok and Instagram and all of these platforms sometimes we get so heated we want to comment and we want to tell them you know what's what's right and what's wrong and tell them what's up but we have to think we cannot be anxious right we cannot get full of rage so maybe you should stop and pray before you you know hit someone, stop and pray before you give someone an earful or stop and pray before you post something that well, it can get out of control really quickly. Or even if you're venting, take a moment, pray to the Lord and say, "God, I need you. I need your comfort, right?

I place my trust in you." Or, "God, I uh you be my shield right now. I feel attacked." This is the connection that we find in um Philippians um you know what no it's okay Philippians 4 6-7 where it says do not be anxious but in everything in prayer and petition right that's a big thing and in that there's the mentioning of the um the peace of God will guard your hearts and your minds what a what a powerful thing for us to you know I will turn there um Philippians 4:es 6-7 I'll just start with that that final uh exhortation rejoice in the Lord I always I will say it again rejoice let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near do not be anxious about everything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God did But we can as well. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. What beautiful language in that. The second thing is that invite God to search our heart or invite God for a spiritual examination.

Search me God and know my heart is the language that David used when we were talking about that Psalm 139:23- 24. It's not the scope of Psalm 7, but the idea is there, right? When we were looking at that, if I've done any wrong and there's been guilt on my hands, right, then let my enemy pursue and overtake me. It's a call for it's in inviting God to examine your heart. So David is humbly opening himself to the Lord and asking God to examine his heart for that divine examination, that spiritual examination kind of thing.

And it it's something that it takes a lot of humility for God to work literally in you if you're inviting him in to work in you to grow, but also to provide you peace and that inner continued transformation. Because here's the thing. We come to know the Lord and we grow in him. When you receive salvation, that's not the end of your life. That's actually the beginning of your life.

The beginning to become more to live and love like Jesus. Putting on the new self. Learning the word of God and what it means to be a Christian. Being gentle in your speech, but being firm in the word of God, holding true to your convictions in this pluralistic society that we live in. That's a big thing.

uh those are that's challenging. Seeking the things that are higher instead of fighting over the age of the universe instead of fighting your uh you know the different interpretations of revelation we are seeking the things that are higher the ability to discern right from wrong. That's something that's far well that's part of the transformation. It's just knowing I say all of this because it's knowing that God is going to work in and through you. You are a work in progress when it comes to the Lord just as um God is the potter and we are the clay.

God will continue to work on us until the very end. And that's wonderful for us to know cuz I'm glad that I am where I am. And I I hope you can say the same thing. God's going to continue to work on your life every single day. Let him invite him into your life.

And so maybe you can ask God to pray and ask God to reveal to you what am I not seeing in my life? What is something that I need to work on to continue? And it's not a salvation. Well, I mean, unless you don't know the Lord, that is a salvation thing, but it could be part of continued transformation, continue reforming your life as it were. Maybe you can pray, "Lord, show me what I'm not seeing or what I'm not.

Help me to understand something." Or, "God, search my heart. I want to have a pure heart before you. I want to continue to transform and be more like you." And just as we read in that Psalm 139, search me, God, right? See if there is any offense in me and lead me. Very powerful psalm.

And also the third thing that we can do is praise God. Praise God even when someone's doing you doing you dirty, right? Even when someone is talking trash. Just as in that verse 17 that we were talking about. I'm going to turn the page here.

I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness. I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord most high. And it's just as I talked about earlier, despite the fact that all of this is happening, David is choosing to praise the Lord. And in the same way, well, is the problem fixed? No.

In fact, he is trusting in God in his divine justice, right? To decree justice because God is constant. He will see to it that justice is served, right? that the evil ones will um reap what they sow. And certainly of course we have to think can we praise God even when someone is slandering us.

We should praise the Lord because he is faithful and again he is that constant everlasting to everlasting that Christ the Lord remains the same. And that's a prayer you can ask God. I'm going to trust you with this. People are saying some nasty things and I don't know what to do about it. It's really hurting me.

I'm going to offer that to you. Offer it to the Lord. There's a um a book that is a not a very common one. It is Let's see if I can turn there real quick. Maybe there it is.

Habachok in Habach 3 17-18. This is a very interesting one. Though the fig though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines. Though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food. Though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord.

I will be joyful in God my savior. Right? There's a connection with that. The fig tree not budding. Right?

And and you could probably think right when you're reading that there's nothing that's happening to the crops. There's no grape on the vine. The olive is failing. The fields, there's no food. There's no sheep.

There's no cattle. But despite that, I am going to praise the Lord. Now, that's not necessarily slanderous, but it's another instance of when bad things are happening, trusting in God and praising him. Right? Why did I bring this verse up?

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord. I will be joyful in God my savior. Are you going to praise God despite people slandering you? Despite there being no grapes on the vine kind of thing, no uh sheep in the pen kind of thing. Praise the Lord even when bad things are happening to you.

because the life here that we have on earth is not perfect at all, but we can still trust in him. And so perhaps ask yourself the question, have you been trying to seek revenge instead of trusting in God who is the well the judge, right? He is the just God. And what would it look like for you to trust in him despite accusations, wrong accusations, right? And despite um slander against you.

And so those are some questions for you to reflect on. And Psalm 7 here, there's anything we can take away from this as we're closing here. It is a psalm that is speaking about those who have been falsely accused, those that there have been um wronged, those that people are slandering against him. And but it's also despite all of that, it is a psalm that is about David trusting in the Lord despite that. It's a song of surrendering and trusting in him and praising God despite the fact of accusations and people going against him.

Instead of fighting fire with fire, instead of seeking revenge, he is trusting in God's timing and his provision. He is trusting in the one who judges righteously. Because that's the big thing. Just as I mentioned the parable of the um the persistent widow when the widow is going to the judge and the judge finally gives justice and God is saying, "How much more justice will I give?" Right? Well, God is the good judge.

I don't want to be a wicked judge. I don't want to be a judge. Just as the scripture was saying that um in that parable, the judge neither fears God nor respects man. So it's a double like double negative as it were. We are imperfect.

Now, we might we may fear God and we may respect man for sure, but it's still different than God's God being the judge because God sees all, hears all, and he judges righteously. And so, when your name is slandered, right, when it is being misrepresented or misused, you can take refuge in the living God who is the righteous judge. And so I hope that as we are closing, you may think about trusting in God despite what is happening in the world, what people are saying to you. Even as we've gone through Habach, may let this be a call for you to have God search your heart. May you draw closer to the Lord.

May you, no matter where you are at in life's journey. If you don't know Christ, I hope you come to know who Jesus Christ is, the way, the truth, and the life. believing in the death, burial, and resurrection. If you know the Lord or maybe you've been hurt or you're you're struggling, may you come back to the presence of God knowing that God will never fail you. But certainly man will.

No human being is perfect. And may you grow in him and may you be moved to do good in the name of Jesus Christ. My name is Patrick Dailyaly. Thank you for joining us and this is the Pastor Patrick podcast. May you live and love like Jesus.

Bye-bye. [Music]