Psalm 139: Part 2

Verses 19-24

• “If only you would slay the wicked, O God. Away from me, you blood thirsty men! They speak of you with evil intent your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord, and abhor those who rise against you? I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them as my enemies”

Verses 23,24

• “ Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”.

Matthew 11:21

• “ Woe to you Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sack clothes and ashes. But I tell you it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgement then for you”.

Lessons from verse 19-22

• 1. We live in a world where unspeakable acts of evil are committed and to long for justice is both good and appropriate.

Lessons from verses 19-22 cont.

• 2. The psalmist leaves the ultimate judgement of the wicked up to God. He does not respond to evil with evil.

Lessons from verses 19-22 cont.

• 3. David give us an example of how to deal with our rage that is the result of situations beyond our control.

Miroslav Volf• “For the followers of the crucified messiah, the

main message of the imprecatory psalms is this: rage belongs before God...by placing unattended rage before God we place both our unjust enemy and our own vengeful self face to face with the God who loves and does justice. Hidden in the dark chamber of our hearts and nourished by a system of darkness, hates grows and seeks to infest everything with it’s hellish will to exclusion. In light of the justice and love of God, however, hate recedes and the seed is planted for the miracle of forgiveness”.

1st John 4:9

• “ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends since God so loved us, we ought to love one another”.