Father Forgive Them

Psalm 35:19-28

English Standard Version (ESV)

^19 (A)Let not those rejoice over me
    who are ^(B)wrongfully my foes,
and let not those ^(C)wink the eye
    who ^(D)hate me ^(E)without cause.
²⁰ For they do not speak peace,
    but against those who are quiet in the land
    they devise words of deceit.
²¹ They ^(F)open wide their mouths against me;
    they say, ^(G)“Aha, Aha!
    Our eyes have seen it!”

^22 (H)You have seen, O Lord; ^(I)be not silent!
    O Lord, ^(J)be not far from me!
²³ Awake and ^(K)rouse yourself for ^(L)my vindication,
    for my cause, my God and my Lord!
^24 (M)Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
    according to your righteousness,
    and ^(N)let them not rejoice over me!
²⁵ Let them not say in their hearts,
    ^(O)“Aha, our heart's desire!”
Let them not say, ^(P)“We have swallowed him up.”

²⁶ Let them be ^(Q)put to shame and disappointed altogether
    who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be ^(R)clothed with shame and dishonor
    who ^(S)magnify themselves against me!

²⁷ Let those who delight in my righteousness
    shout for joy and be glad
    ^(T)and say evermore,
^(U)“Great is the Lord,
    who ^(V)delights in the welfare of his servant!”
²⁸ Then my ^(W)tongue shall tell of your righteousness
    and of your praise all the day long.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2035:%2019%20-28&version=ESV

I think we have probably all had a time or times in our life where people ridiculed us, schemed against us, wrongfully accused us or broke our hearts.  It is a tough place to find ourselves and generally we cry out to the Lord to rescue us from the situation.  Yet, I have to think of Christ when I read this.  He even refers to this passage in John 15:25 where He speaks of being hated without cause.  In John 15: 26 He speaks of the Holy Spirit who will come and help the followers of Christ.  Christ says He will bring the Helper who will bear witness of Christ.  The Holy Spirit came upon all those who believed and He comes upon all those who believe today.  No matter what this world throws at a believer in Christ, there is the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us through the troubles.  When our focus becomes more on what is happening to “me” rather than on The Lord, then those troubles become unbearable.  I have to go back to Christ on the cross, asking for forgiveness for those who were hurting Him.  My human nature always tries to pull me to the “me” side of things.  When I focus on “me” I become more agitated not only at the people and the situation but even towards God.  “Wake up Lord”, “take revenge Lord”, “show them who is boss Lord” are all  “me” attitudes.  The Christ attitude on the other hand is, “forgive them Lord”, “show them your love oh Father”, “open their eyes to you Father”.

No one wins with the “me” attitude but with the “Christ” attitude we will win and hopefully our opponents will win too.  In this game of life we don’t have to have winners and losers we have the choice to all be winners through Christ Jesus our Lord.

As you seek Him, ask Him to be your Helper in times of trouble as well as times of great joy.  Ask Him to bear witness through you by the power of the Holy Spirit.  When He does this we like Stephen will fix our eyes on Heaven and see the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:55)  and will be able to say as Stephen did in Acts 7:60 “Lord do not hold this sin against them” as he was being stoned to death.

Seeking Him with all my heart,

Sheila