It was not going well for King David in Psalm 7. Men were “talking trash” about him, throwing him under the bus, falsely accusing him of wrongdoing when he was innocent. He was under attack, pursued, and they were “tearing his soul apart like a lion rends its prey to pieces (v. 2).” Have you been slandered or lied on? “Sticks and stones… but names will never hurt me,” but they do. What about your reputation? The tongue is a weapon against you. What do you do?
David took refuge in God. He prayed, “Save me from all my pursuers and deliver me (v. 1).” Where do you go when you’re under attack? Who really understands, who can really do anything about this? God is a solid rock and sure foundation, a hedge of protection. He is not moved and will not falter. He knows truth from fiction. He alone is righteous and will judge rightly. David can rest in Him alone; “My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day (vv. 10-11).”
David went to the Lord and was honest before Him and appealed to Him as the righteous judge in vv. 3-5, “O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.” In v. 8 he asked of God, “Judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me.” How honest are you with God about your sin and innocence? Are you prepared for God to judge you and will you face whatever God deems as right and just? How upfront are you with God about your sins? Is there a reason people are saying these things about you? Come clean to God.
David prayed for God’s judgment and justice, not only for himself, but also on those who attacked him. “Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. The LORD judges the peoples (6-8).” God will have the final say over every person. Everyone will have to give an account to God, for every deed, thought, and word (Rom 14:12). We do not seek revenge on those who attack us, but we leave it to the Lord; “Never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord (Romans 12:19).”
Do you find yourself under attack today? In your workplace or family, people lie about you, spread rumors and gossip, slander you? How do you vindicate yourself? Should you protest or fight back? Take your problem to God. Be honest before the Lord; have you done anything wrong? Trust in Him for justice. And remember, the same thing happened to Jesus. “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23).” Give thanks to Him and trust Him to be righteous and do the right thing.