Surrounded By Wickedness

Psalm 140:1-13

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.

“Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man; Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.  They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.” (Psalm 140:1-3)

We are surrounded by evil men who seek to have everything their own way, and try to destroy anything that limits t5hem or reminds them of their limitations.  They will physically attack or kill all who oppose them.  They constantly think about ways to take advantage of other people and are constantly on the defensive, ready to go to war against anyone.  They take pleasure in saying offensive and derogatory things, and don’t care who they hurt or kill. 

“Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.  The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.” (Psalm 140:4-5)

The wicked and violent will do anything in their power to destroy those who do right and prevent their success.  There are so many that we are incapable of protecting ourselves from all of them.  Convinced they can succeed if they destroy the righteous, they set all kinds of traps for them from sexual and moral to financial and political.  We have to depend on the Lord to enable us to escape them all. 

“I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.  O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.  Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.” (Psalm 140:6-8)

David reminded God, and himself that he was depending on God for help.  He is asking the God who has given him salvation and protection in battle to protect him from these spiritual and political attacks as well to prevent the wicked gaining power and taking control.  Sometimes as Christians, we become afraid God will not come to our rescue.   We need to remember how much God has already invested.  He will not forsake us now.    Romans 8:31-34 reminds us what God has done for us.  “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?  Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.  Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

“As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.  Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.  Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.” (Psalm 140:9-11)

The wicked, who try to destroy the good, believing they can ignore God, will suffer the natural consequences of their actions, as Romans 1:22-27 tells us.  “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet.”   Like the drug addict or alcoholic, they destroy themselves as a result of their sin. 

“I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.  Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.” (Psalm 140:12-13)

The only way the wicked can win is if they can over power God, and as John 10:27-30 tells us, God is more powerful than they are.  “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.  My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.  I and my Father are one.”  We have nothing to fear.