Godly Character Through Opposition

INTRO

Psalm 109 is categorized as an imprecatory psalm, meaning it invokes God’s judgment or calamity on one’s enemies.¹ While the book of Psalms contains several of these psalms, possibly this psalm pronounced the worst judgments of them all.

TEACHING

Psalm 109:1-5: David reflected on his opposition. David’s lifestyle was a lifestyle of praise (v. 1). Similarly, we who are in Christ ought to be characterized by a lifestyle of praise to God, “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, overflowing with gratitude” (Colossians 2:6–7). Though David’s life was characterized by praise, he had to live in relationship with others who did not love God in the same way he did. As a result, others treated David poorly (vv. 2–5).

David’s character was established in this first section of the psalm:

1. David praised God (v.1). “Then David praised the Lord in the sight of all the assembly. David said, ‘May You be praised, Lord God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity’” (1 Chronicles 29:10).
2. David prayed to God. “In return for my love they accuse me, but I continue to pray” (v. 4).
3. David loved others. “In return for my love” (v. 4a). David loved his enemies.

Psalm 109:6–20: David reacted to his opposition. David suddenly turned from declaring his dependence on God and his love for his enemies, to asking God to work against his enemies. David asked God to “set a wicked person” over his enemy (v. 6), for his enemy’s prayer to “be counted as sin” (v. 7), and for God to make “his days be few” (v. 8) among other judgments. In Acts 1:20, Peter quoted verse 8 as the apostles sought someone to take Judas’ place.

Though David was characterized by his love for others, he asked God to pronounce harsh judgments on the family of his enemy. David asked God to “Let his children be fatherless and his wife a widow” (v. 9), for his enemy’s “creditor to seize all he has” (v. 11), and for no one to be gracious “to his fatherless children” (v. 12). David also asked God for his enemy’s descendants to “be cut off; let their name be blotted out in the next generation” (v. 13), and for the family of his enemy’s “guilt be remembered before the LORD . . . Let their sins always remain before the LORD” (vv. 13–15).

Psalm 109: 16–20: These verses outline some of the reasons David asked such harsh things of God toward his enemy. His enemy did not care for “the afflicted, poor, and brokenhearted” but instead sought to “put them to death” (v. 16). David’s enemy “loved cursing” and “took no delight in blessing,” so David asked God to allow him to be cursed and to keep blessings far from him (v. 17). David asked God for this curse to penetrate his enemy’s body, to be wrapped around him like a robe or a belt (vv. 18–19).

David’s requests can be understood in three ways. First, David could have been venting his frustration to God, bringing all his complaints and bitterness to God. Second, David could have been praying, asking God to do these things to his enemies while not personally taking action. Third, David could have been prophesying, predicting that the things will happen to his enemies because Scripture declared these judgments on people who have done similar things (Deuteronomy 27:15-26).

Psalm 109:21–31: David requested help. After David reacted to the opposition he experienced, he asked the Lord to deal with him and his heart kindly (v. 21). This was a dramatic shift in his attitude. Praising God changed David’s attitude and brought him back to the man of character we saw earlier in Psalm 109. This man knew he was completely dependent on God to “save me according to Your faithful love” (v. 26). Now, David desired for his enemy to know God’s love in the same way he did (v. 27). The behavior of his enemy might not change (vv. 28–29), but David resolved to continue to praise God (v. 30).

CLOSING

Because we are redeemed in Christ, we are people of character similar to David’s. Like David, there will be times when we experience opposition. The enemy will try to deceive us into getting angry. But if we remain in a prayerful posture, the Lord will take that burden from us, humble our hearts, and return us to the character He intended for us in the beginning.

How do we bring glory to God in the midst of opposition?

Reflect on opposition. Take time to consider what the enemy is up to, then you can respond appropriately. You can choose to react in a positive way by giving it to the Lord. Even if you choose to react negatively, God can bring you out of it.

Request God’s help. God can change your heart and help you to live out the character of Christ through you.

God will give you the peace, the strength, the wisdom, and humility to go through the process of whatever is opposing you at the time. When you request God's help, it returns you to the character that David began with. Remember the opposition is lurking, but you have the power of God in you to overcome.