Psalm Devotional
A War of Words
King David often found himself in conflict, as we have seen in recent months. Yet out of his darkest hours of struggle came his deepest affirmations of faith.
In Psalm 64, David depicts the wiles of his enemies, particularly their harmful words, and in so doing makes a broader assessment of the scope of human depravity. He ends, as he often does, with a heartening affirmation of God’s justice and a call for believers to rejoice. This pattern of many Davidic psalms, of conflict leading to victory, of evil meeting justice, of joy emerging from adversity, is a precedent that comes to full flower in the life and work of Jesus Christ.
David’s opening petition is conspicuous for one detail—”Preserve my life from fear of the enemy.” A fearful state of mind is often more debilitating than the actual ordeal that evokes it. David met his challenge, first of all, with a prayer for godly assurance to supplant his fears. By verse 10, it is clear that his prayer had been answered.
