Read Psalm 59:1-7. 1Deliver me from my enemies, O my God; protect me from those who rise up against me; 2deliver me from those who work evil, and save me from bloodthirsty men. 3For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, 4for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. Awake, come to meet me, and see! 5You, Lord God of hosts, are God of Israel. Rouse yourself to punish all the nations; spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. 6Each evening they come back, howling like dogs and prowling about the city. 7There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips—for “Who,” they think, “will hear us
Following his daring window escape from his house and out into the night, David is number one on Israel’s most wanted list. King Saul’s police force has begun the city wide manhunt that will produce this psalm.
There’s an important understanding about the problem of evil for us here, that David himself points out – fierce men stir up strife against me. For no transgression or sin of mine, O Lord, for no fault of mine, they run and make ready. David’s distressful situation has not been caused by his own sin. He is not outside God’s will, in fact, he’s smack in the middle of it, yet surrounded by evil men.
Make no mistake Christian, to be in Christ and in his covenant is not guaranteed protection from an evil world that seeks you harm. For Christ himself, being in the will of God meant coming to meet us and see the suffering that evil causes for the good, and to partake in that suffering for our good. Now, until Christ is roused to punish all the nations, he warns us of the world’s hatred for him and now for us, and Peter classifies such righteous suffering as grace:
1 Peter 2:20. But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.
To live is Christ is to embrace the imputed righteousness of Jesus bringing with it the suffering of Jesus, knowing that one day his righteousness will remove all suffering, both just and unjust.
Prayer. Jesus, I acknowledge that I am called to share in your suffering, not suffering for my sin, but suffering for your righteousness. Help me to trust your grace through it all. Amen.
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