Save Me from Slander
Introduction:
Have you ever been falsely accused? Have you ever been the victim of
slander or false gossip? David knew all about this type of treachery.
Psalm 7
is his appeal to Jehovah for justice and vindication. King Saul was of
the tribe of Benjamin. The mention of Cush as a member of that tribe
leads one to believe that David had been falsely accused by him to the
king. David had implored God for preservation from all his enemies.
Text:
Psalm 7
1“O
Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute
me; And deliver me, Lest they tear me like a lion, Rending me in pieces,
while there is none to deliver. O Lord my God, if I have done this: If
there is iniquity in my hands, If I have repaid evil to him who was at
peace with me, Or have plundered my enemy without cause, Let the enemy
pursue me and overtake me; Yes, let him trample my life to the earth And
lay my honor in the dust.
6Arise,
O Lord, in Your anger; Lift Yourself up because of the rage of my
enemies; Rise up for me to the judgment you have commanded! So the
congregation of the peoples shall surround You; For their sakes,
therefore, return on high. The Lord shall judge the peoples; Judge me,
O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to my integrity
within me. Oh, let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end, But
establish the just; For the righteous God tests the hearts and minds.
My defense is of God, Who saves the upright in heart.
11God
is a just judge, And God is angry with the wicked every day. If he does
not turn back, He will sharpen His sword; He bends His bow and makes it
ready. He also prepares for Himself instruments of death; He makes His
arrows into fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked brings forth
iniquity; Yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. He made
a pit and dug it out, And has fallen into the ditch which he made. His
trouble shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall
come down on his own crown. I will praise the Lord according to
His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most
High.” NKJV
Body:
I.
A Proclamation of Innocence
(Verses
1-5)
·
The picture of a lion tearing a lamb to pieces describes how deeply the
wounds of the tongue are cutting David’s soul. (Psalm
31:15)
Slander hurts! Lies can cause damage for a lifetime. Persecution in
many forms by the world is to be expected by Christians. (John
15:18-20a)
The innocent are often slandered. (Psalm
59:3-4a)
·
Note the three “ifs” in
Verses 3-4.
When one was accused, He could go to the temple and take a solemn oath,
similar to this, asking God to receive his affirmation as righteous and
true. (I
Kings 8:31-32, I Chronicles 12:16-17)
II.
A Plea for Judgment (
Verses 6-10)
·
David makes a bold utterance. (Verse
6)
(Hebrews
4:16)
·
David pleas for Jehovah to sit on His throne and dispense justice. (Verse
7)
(Psalm
9:7-8)
·
The scene describes the opening of the court with the petitioner [David]
crying out with his hand on his heart. (Verse
8)
He prays for righteous judgment. (Psalm
58:11)
David claims to have walked in integrity. (Psalm
26:1)
For the righteous, the last day will be our best day!
·
All things are laid bare before the judge. (Psalm
26:2, Jeremiah 17:10, Psalm 62:6)
·
God saves the upright. Our enemies have no power over truth. (Verse
10)
III.
A Petition for Justice
(Verses
11-17)
·
God is angry with the wicked “every” day. (Nahum
1:2,6)
(Verse
11)
Because God is a righteous judge, Christians can look forward to His
execution of justice. (II
Thessalonians 1:5-9)
·
Jehovah has bent His bow and made it ready. God’s arrows never miss. (Verses
12-13)
(Psalm
37:14-15, Psalm 21:11-12)
·
“Wicked man” is the enemy of the godly. He falls by his own devices. (Psalm
141:8-10,
Psalm 9:15)
(Verses
14-16)
He deserves no pity!
·
Jehovah is described as the Lord Most High. (Verse
17)
He is to be continually thanked for all His blessings. The righteous
are eternally blessed.
Conclusion:
Slander
is a terrible evil. God’s people have always been the recipients of
false accusations and persecution. Even though we do things with the
best of intentions, we can still be credited with the worst motives.
Bobby Stafford
October 26, 2014
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