Daily Prayer for February 18, 2025: Psalm 35
Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me!
2 Take hold of shield and buckler
and rise for my help!
3 Draw the spear and javelin
against my pursuers!
Say to my soul,
“I am your salvation!"
4 Let them be put to shame and dishonor
who seek after my life!
Let them be turned back and disappointed
who devise evil against me!
5 Let them be like chaff before the wind,
with the angel of the Lord driving them away!
6 Let their way be dark and slippery,
with the angel of the Lord pursuing them!
7 For without cause they hid their net for me;
without cause they dug a pit for my life.
8 Let destruction come upon him when he does not know it!
And let the net that he hid ensnare him;
let him fall into it—to his destruction!
9 Then my soul will rejoice in the Lord,
exulting in his salvation.
10 All my bones shall say,
"O Lord, who is like you,
delivering the poor
from him who is too strong for him,
the poor and needy from him who robs him?"
11 Malicious witnesses rise up;
they ask me of things that I do not know.
12 They repay me evil for good;
my soul is bereft.
13 But I, when they were sick—
I wore sackcloth;
I afflicted myself with fasting;
I prayed with head bowed on my chest.
14 I went about as though I grieved for my friend or my brother;
as one who laments his mother,
I bowed down in mourning.
15 But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;
16 like profane mockers at a feast,
they gnash at me with their teeth.
17 How long, O Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions!
18 I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.
19 Let not those rejoice over me
who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
who hate me without cause.
20 For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they devise words of deceit.
21 They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, "Aha, Aha!
Our eyes have seen it!"
22 You have seen, O Lord; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!
23 Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!
24 Vindicate me, O Lord, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!
25 Let them not say in their hearts,
"Aha, our heart's desire!"
Let them not say, "We have swallowed him up."
26 Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!
27 Let those who delight in my righteousness
shout for joy and be glad
and say evermore,
"Great is the Lord,
who delights in the welfare of his servant!"
28 Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness
and of your praise all the day long.
(Psalm 35:1-28, ESV)
Prayer: Grant to us, almighty God, hearts willing and able to praise and honor you because of your marvelous works given to undeserving creatures. Grant, we plead and pray for an abundance of your mercy as we travel through this vale of tears and experience the hardships that come from evil and wicked people. As we survey your Word, we read of the acts of unrighteous people and how they troubled your church. We read of Cain, who killed his brother. We read of Lamech, who was a murderer and boasted about his sin. We read of the efforts of Joseph's brothers to hard him. We read of those who opposed the man after your heart and the sufferings of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is clear to us that the godly and righteous will suffer at the hands of evil people. We know it is true, Father, but it doesn't make it easier to bear. It is harder to bear when those attacks come from within the visible church, but we know they do, and they trouble us. Therefore, we cry out to you for your justice to fall on those who seek the harm and ruin of your church. We pray for you mount up like a mighty soldier and defend a righteous cause. We pray for you to cause our enemies to fall into the very pit they create. We pray for you to silence their mouths and the lies they tell others for they are people of chaos and harm acting a spawns of the Evil One. We pray for you to vindicate your people, and we pray for you to put shame on those who have harmed your church. Please protect us and help us avoid bitterness and anger, for we know that man's anger does not accomplish your will. Please help us love our enemies as the Savior commanded and bring those who harm your people to repentance. Please cause them to see their sin we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture Mediation: Psalm 35