My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.

This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.

I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.

Psalm 63:9-11

9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;
10 they shall be given over to the power of the sword; they shall be a portion for jackals.
11 But the king shall rejoice in God; all who swear by him shall exult, for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Back in our first post on Psalm 63, (Psalms for Psome – Ps 63.01) I suggested the situation David found himself in was running from his own son, as Absalom led a rebellion against the chosen King of Israel.

The next few verses that we are in this morning may be difficult to grasp if my suggestion of David’s flight truly is from Absalom the rebel. Nevertheless, whether those who David refers to as seeking his life is Absalom or King Saul, David’s prayer is for revenge!!!

Are you sure Carl? Are the words of David dripping with bloodthirsty revenge, intent on inflicting the maximum punishment upon whomever is seeking David’s life?

Notice that David makes statements in verse 9 and 10, statements that appear to be provided as facts as opposed to desires.

Let me try to explain. David does not write the verses with any description of his desires or wishes, as I suggest below.

But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth, where I want them to suffer incredible pain without end;
they shall be given over to the power of the sword; hopefully with each cut of the sword providing excruciating pain and agony, they shall be a portion for jackals, with the jackals tearing them limb from limb if it was up to me!

^{(italicized/underlined text added by author – my apologies to david)}

I can’t be certain that David was not looking for punishment on his enemy, whether it be King Saul, whom he honored as he lived and upon his death, or his son Absalom, whom he mourned when he found out he was a victim of the war he started.

But as I read the passage, I am led to believe David was providing the inevitable result of anyone who seeks to destroy any man or woman. One who seeks to destroy a human life should expect to have their life taken from them. Is that not the expected outcome of a life of violence, deceit and malice? He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword. He who sows to the flesh shall reap corruption. I suggest that David is simply, and quite possibly with tears in his eyes, stating a fact about the eventual outcome of a man’s decision to destroy other lives.

David eventually finds that his son died in the battle, and this would cause him additional pain, beyond the murder of Amnon, and the rebellion of Absalom, yet he looks forward in faith, declaring he would rejoice in the victory God provided.

Brother and sister – recognize that our King rejoices even now! The King of Kings has proven to be the one who seeks to save lives and not to destroy, to rescue lives and not to kill, to provide life and not to provide barely but abundantly. Is not joy the expected outcome of a life of blessing? Surely the King of Kings will rejoice as no other, for He has been the absolute polar opposite of the one seeking to destroy!

He rejoices!

Like no other!!!

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