"Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up; fighting all day he oppresses me." (Psalm 56:1)
"....swallow me up," literally, "pants as a raging beast." This was Saul's year after year pursuit of David. You and I encounter such enemies of the Cross everyday, some very obvious and some, perhaps the most dangerous, we walk right by without a clue, still, "fighting all day he oppresses me." This is not to justify paranoia; this is just the reality of our life in Jesus.
The title notation of this Psalm is, "The Silent Dove in Distant Lands." Does this not sound like the journey of the Follower of Jesus? While, "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof," and while we are, "joint heirs with Christ," it is also true that, as Hebrews 11 says, "By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange (foreign) country....For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Does this not sound like a "....Silent Dove in Distant Lands"?
Verses 6-9: There are those who, "....mark my steps, when they lie in wait for my life," yet, "The Lord [Jesus Christ Who] Is my Shepherd," does not forget me. Even in his wanderings and tears, this "Silent Dove in Distant Lands" knows that, "You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book." And as continual unrelenting attacks come my way, "My enemies will retreat when I call to You for help" (NLT).
Father, in Jesus' Name, no matter all the bravado of some, I affirm that, "My enemies will retreat (only) when I call to You for help." Amen.
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REMEMBER: The video devotional which comes to you with the username "58TROJAN23" is NOT a virus.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
