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I have a message from God in my heart
    concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
    before their eyes.

² In their own eyes they flatter themselves
    too much to detect or hate their sin.
³ The words of their mouths are wicked and deceitful;
    they fail to act wisely or do good.
⁴ Even on their beds they plot evil;
    they commit themselves to a sinful course
    and do not reject what is wrong. NIVUK

What is God speaking to your heart today? Don’t ignore it. Listen. Tune in.

It’s important to highlight that verse 1 can read ”The transgression of the wicked resides in their hearts” (”Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts” NLT). This tallies with the teaching of Jesus about uncleanness proceeding from within a person.

But if we stay with the translation of Psalm 36 as we read it above, I come back to this question: what is God saying to our hearts, and what we are doing about it?

I read the opening of this Psalm as I sat in church last Sunday morning, waiting for the service to begin. Then the preacher told us in the course of his sermon that, around 30 years ago, God gave him a distinct ‘nudge’. He spoke to his heart and said, ‘You need to take me a lot more seriously.’ He said that began a journey, an adventure in prayer, which continues to this day. And as he preached from his heart, our hearts were also stirred. This is the essence of effective preaching. God speaks first of all to the preacher’s heart. He will never say anything to it that contradicts Scripture. But if it doesn’t start with the heart it will not move hearts.

David’s heartfelt ‘sermon’ is about sin, and how it shows itself in people. Tom Hale says this is ‘…a standard description of the wicked…They may believe God exists, but they don’t believe He matters. They are atheists in practice rather than in theory.

It is easy to recognise wickedness – in others! But it’s not so easy to recognise it in ourselves. David says concerning the wicked person…in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin (verse 2). This is true not only of the wicked but of believers as well. We too can ”flatter” ourselves, thinking we are godly; but, in fact, we harbour undetected sin in our hearts (see Jeremiah 17:9). This is why it is so important for us to ask God as David did: Search me, O God, and know my heart…See if there is any offensive way in me (Psalm 139:23-24).’

PRAYER:

 ‘Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
speak that my soul may hear;
speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
calm every doubt and fear.

Refrain:
Speak to my heart, oh, speak to my heart,
speak to my heart, I pray;
yielded and still, seeking Thy will,
oh, speak to my heart today.

Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
purge me from every sin;
speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
help me the lost to win.

Speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
it is no longer mine:
speak to my heart, Lord Jesus,
I would be wholly Thine.’ (B.B. McKinney)

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.
²⁰ They do not speak peaceably,
    but devise false accusations
    against those who live quietly in the land.
²¹ They sneer at me and say, ‘Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we have seen it.’

²² Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
    Do not be far from me, Lord.
²³ Awake, and rise to my defence!
    Contend for me, my God and Lord.
²⁴ Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
    do not let them gloat over me.
²⁵ Do not let them think, ‘Aha, just what we wanted!’
    or say, ‘We have swallowed him up.’

²⁶ 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.
²⁷ 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.’

²⁸ My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
    your praises all day long. NIVUK

If we have sensed David’s loneliness and isolation in this Psalm, verse 27 reveals that he did still have some friends who would delight in his vindication. His enemies fully expected, and predicted, his downfall (21,25), but David was confident he would come through, and he once again vowed to praise the Lord for his deliverance (28). He also revelled in the thought that his friends would have reason to join in the ‘praise party’ with him (27).

‘We desire that others should join us in praise. One seraph cried to another in Isaiah’s vision. There should be a holy emulation in thanksgiving. Oh, that the resolution of the psalmist might characterize us all; and that all our days might be full of praise, instead of the constant murmuring and complaining which are so rife among God’s children!’ F.B.Meyer

It is inevitable, I think, that as we read these words our minds should turn to Jesus, the only truly innocent Man to walk this earth. He also was falsely accused, and He too knew where to look for vindication (or rather, to Whom He should look):

”To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

²² “He committed no sin,
    and no deceit was found in his mouth.”

²³ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23 NIV)

Jesus was falsely accused (Mark 14:56); and His enemies hated Him without cause (John 15:250

Suffering in some form or other is the norm for God’s people in this world. If it hates Jesus it will also hate us. But we are not without a Friend ‘in court’ – indeed, the highest court of all.

Ruthless witnesses come forward;
    they question me on things I know nothing about.
¹² They repay me evil for good
    and leave me like one bereaved.
¹³ Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth
    and humbled myself with fasting.
When my prayers returned to me unanswered,
¹⁴     I went about mourning
    as though for my friend or brother.
I bowed my head in grief
    as though weeping for my mother.
¹⁵ But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee;
    assailants gathered against me without my knowledge.
    They slandered me without ceasing.
¹⁶ Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked;
    they gnashed their teeth at me.

¹⁷ How long, Lord, will you look on?
    Rescue me from their ravages,
    my precious life from these lions.
¹⁸ I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
    among the throngs I will praise you. NIVUK

David’s second prayer request to his ‘Divine Warrior’, concluding with a vow to praise Him when he experiences rescue (18), paints a picture of the essence of his suffering: he was repaid evil for good. He had been treated badly by those he treated well. He had loved and served and cared for them, and they had turned around and kicked him in the teeth. Sadly this is a common experience. There will be few pastors, if any, who will not have walked this road – perhaps several times over. But you don’t have to be in church leadership to have your love repaid with callous treatment. Let’s say it how it is: the betrayal of friends hurts like crazy. It is profoundly painful.

Again, though, David is an example to us. He points the way. Spread your case before the Lord, and trust Him to deal with it in His way and time. Don’t seek for revenge. Look to God for vindication. If verse 17 indicates that David’s anguish lasted a long time, verse 18 reveals that his heart posture was one of trusting the Lord to work things out. He was confident that He would.

In this fallen world we will not be able to avoid some undeserved pain, but knowing where we can turn for healing is all important.

⁴ May those who seek my life
    be disgraced and put to shame;
may those who plot my ruin
    be turned back in dismay.
⁵ May they be like chaff before the wind,
    with the angel of the Lord driving them away;
⁶ may their path be dark and slippery,
    with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.

⁷ Since they hid their net for me without cause
    and without cause dug a pit for me,
⁸ may ruin overtake them by surprise –
    may the net they hid entangle them,
    may they fall into the pit, to their ruin.
⁹ Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord
    and delight in his salvation.
¹⁰ 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.’ NIVUK

”True prayer is sure of a hearing…We can doubt the value, power and sincerity of our own asking, but not God’s hearing…It is because it is heard that we pray, and not because we are so skilled in asking.” Karl Barth

Tom Hale points out that the remainder of Psalm 35 consists of three petitions addressed to David’s ‘Warrior God’, and each one concludes with a vow to praise Him (9,10,18,22). David obviously prays with the confidence of being heard.

” If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.’’ Matthew 21:22 NIVUK

On two occasions, as I read today’s passage, my mind went back to sections of Psalm 34, and I’ve highlighted them in bold above. Verses 5, 6 correspond to 34:7, and verse 10b to 34:6.

The truth of verses 7,8 comes up often in Scripture. We reap what we sow. Someone said that sin has a ‘boomerang effect’. Tom Hale helpfully points out, ‘David is not showing personal malice here; he has no idea to take personal revenge on his enemies. He is leaving the matter in God’s hands. He is calling on God to judge the wicked and defend the innocent. Here David, as God’s servant, is praying according to God’s will; in asking God to vindicate him, David is essentially asking God to vindicate Himself.’

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
    fight against those who fight against me.
² Take up shield and armour;
    arise and come to my aid.
³ Brandish spear and javelin
    against those who pursue me.
Say to me,
    ‘I am your salvation.’ NIVUK

‘God is willing to assume full responsibility for the life wholly yielded to Him.’ Andrew Murray

The directness, urgency and immediacy of David’s appeal is what arrests my attention this morning. It is a heart cry to One David knows to be greater, and able, and real. Verse 3a can read, ”Brandish spear and javelin and block the way” He asks, and expects, that God will do something. But more than that, he knows that the Lord is Someone. It is not just that He can save David, but He is David’s salvation. Tom Hale makes the point that David is appealing to the divine Warrior, asking Him to come to his aid by defeating his enemies

”What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom.8:31 NIVUK)

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
    and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
    to blot out their name from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
    he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is close to the broken-hearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;
²⁰ he protects all his bones,
    not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The Lord will rescue his servants;
    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. NIVUK

As in earlier verses, the closing paragraphs of this psalm give more than ample encouragement to ‘take it to the Lord in prayer.’

‘The onset of trouble must be matched by the onset of prayer and the prayer of the righteous summons the God of deliverance to our aid (17).’ Alec Motyer

Tom Hale writes, ‘Nowhere does David (or the Bible) promise that the righteous will be free of trouble. What David does teach is that God will be present with the righteous in their troubles, and that in due time He will deliver them from their troubles…In verse 20, David says that the Lord protects all the righteous man’s bones, not one of them will be broken. This is a way of saying that the Lord will protect and care for the righteous man’s body. In a literal sense, this protection was also given to Jesus, the most righteous man who ever lived; not one of his bones was broken (John 19:32-33,36).’

We can take comfort from verse 18. What a precious truth. God is not distant from us in our troubles. His ‘watching’ and ‘hearing’ (15) are not from some aloof position. The word ”close” apparently suggests a ‘Next of Kin’ relationship. We need to hold these truths about God ‘in tension’: that He is transcendent (high above and beyond us) yet also immanent (close and nearby).

”For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15

Another hymn that comes to mind as I read these verses is, ‘Who is on the Lord’s side?’ by Frances Ridley Havergal. I think, seeing the stark alternatives spelled out in our text, who not want to respond with these sentiments?

”By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side—Saviour, we are Thine!”

Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it. NIVUK

Let’s consider the character of this teacher. We know that he is a humble man, seeking to glorify God; one who recognises his intense need of the Lord. This is instructive for the church. These are the sort of teachers we need.

Furthermore, we cannot look at this passage and think it just belongs in the Old Testament, for the apostle Peter quotes it in an extended section in 1 Peter 3:8ff, where he is dealing with the subject of living under persecution.

For David (and for Peter) ‘the good life’ entails:

a.) Our speech (13);

b.) Our lives (14a): i.e. living in repentance;

c.) Our posture/approach (14b): peaceful peacemakers (”If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone” Rom. 12:18). ‘Those who live this way can count on the Lord to punish those who do evil (verse 16).’ Tom Hale

“We are called to reflect the Lord’s beauty through our lives as much as through our words, and God will use this in His own perfect time.” Dr. Helen Roseveare

It was Helen Roseveare who also defined a missionary as someone called to live the Christian life in another land – and, she said, the emphasis is on the living.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his holy people,
    for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. NIVUK

David’s experience is encapsulated in verse 8. He had ‘tasted’ and ‘seen’ and he encouraged others to do the same.

Notice that to ‘fear’ the Lord, and to ‘seek’ Him are two sides of the same coin. This is a reverential fear that takes God seriously, believes in His awesome reality and takes Him at His Word. It therefore inevitably involves seeking Him.

Verses 9,10 are not the basis for ‘prosperity teaching’, but they do underline a truth that those who trust God’s promises have proved (often many times over): namely that His provision is remarkable, miraculous and timely. (Tom Hale comments that these two verses are the equivalent to Jesus’ teaching in Matt.6:33. If we ‘seek first’ God’s Kingdom and righteousness we will have all we need).

”For the Lord God is a sun and shield;
    the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold
    from those whose walk is blameless.” Psalm 84:11NIV

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
    and he delivers them. NIVUK

God’s angel sets up a circle
of protection around us while we pray. The Message

‘One person’s testimony is only valuable to others if it rests on a changeless truth about God. So why was David able to enjoy such experiences? Because the angel of the LORD is the ever-present rescuing agent (7). Appearing to Hagar, the Angel of the Lord spoke about the Lord (Gn.16:11) and yet was the Lord (Gn.16:13…) Thus David’s testimony can be anyone’s because the Angel encamps (lives in a mobile home so as to move with the people of God in their earthly pilgrimage) with all who fear him. Hence, all are invited to taste and see, to take refuge (8), and find sufficiency (9-10).’ Alec Motyer

Many Bible commentators believe that, in the Old Testament, there are a number of pre-incarnate visitation of the Lord Jesus Christ as ‘”The angel of the LORD”. But also there are numerous other references to angels.

Amy Grant sang, and I think part wrote, a song called ‘Angels’. I’ve often thought about these words:

‘ “Take this man to prison,” the man heard Herod say
And then four squads of soldiers came and carried him away
Chained up between two watchmen, Peter tried to sleep
But beyond the walls an endless prayer was lifting for his keep
Then a light cut through the darkness of a lonely prison cell
And the chains that bound the man of God just opened up and fell
And running to his people before the break of day
There was only one thing on his mind, only one thing to say

Angels watching over me every move I make
Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me every step I take
Angels watching over me

God only knows the times my life was threatened just today
A reckless car ran out of gas before it ran my way
Near misses all around me, accidents unknown
Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home
God, I know they’re all around me all day and through the night
When the enemy is closing in I know sometimes they fight
To keep my feet from falling I’ll never turn away
If you’re asking what’s protecting me then you’re gonna hear me say

Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me
Angels watching over me
Though I never see with human eyes the hands that lead me home.’

Who can say how many times angels are dispatched in answer to the fervent believing prayers of God’s people? We are dealing here with a realm of wonder and mystery.

”Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Hebrews 1:14 NIVUK).

‘The angels are servants of the saints today and minister to us in ways we will never know about until we get to heaven (Heb.1:14).’ Warren Wiersbe