It's Time to Pray the Enemy Psalms
Please enter. I will not be posting images of death and destruction. AND—-I will be posting amazing heartening news from the refugee centers.
But first—— I will be posting a psalm we’ve never liked. A psalm that sounds mean, where we get all Jesus-y and judgmental of David.
“What is all this about wishing destruction upon your enemies, David? Don’t you know you’re supposed to love your enemies?” We say that because we don’t like paradox, and because we live in a country where wars are always far away. We know all about hostility and division within our borders—-but we know nothing of actual war.
The Hebrews were no stranger to tyrants and warfare. Their entire history is filled with nations and kings unleashing their forces attempting to dominate and obliterate this tiny nation. Yet they have survived. As we pray Ukraine will.
Let’s pray this Psalm then—-together. God has answered these prayers many times before and I believe He will answer them again.
Please Pray these words for the Ukrainian people, their country, their leaders.
Psalm 35
Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.
Take up shield and armor;
arise and come to my aid.
Brandish spear and javelin[a]
against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
“I am your salvation.”
May those who seek my life
be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
be turned back in dismay.
May they be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
may their path be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.
Since they hid their net for me without cause
and without cause dug a pit for me,
may ruin overtake them by surprise—
may the net they hid entangle them,
may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
and delight in his salvation.
My whole being will exclaim,
“Who is like you, Lord?
You rescue the poor from those too strong for them,
the poor and needy from those who rob them.
. . . ….
Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
they gnashed their teeth at me.
How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat over me.
Do not let them think, “Aha, just what we wanted!”
or say, “We have swallowed him up.”
May all who gloat over my distress
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who exalt themselves over me
be clothed with shame and disgrace.
May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.
Prayer is powerful enough to change tyrants’ hearts, to stop bullets and rockets. But there is more we can do!
I have some good friends in Slovakia and Moldova who are working tirelessly, through Navigators and CRU to provide housing, food, classes, and love to the refugees. Here’s a video of a few of these people expressing their thanks to their Moldovan hosts.
My friend Tanya is there on the ground in Moldova (which is the poorest country in Europe.) If you’d like to give to their efforts, here is the most recent update and a link to give:
CRU's work with refugees in Moldova
