Day 59 with David: Leave vengeance to God when people return evil for your good.

“They reward me evil for good, To the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, My clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; And my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity they rejoiced And gathered together; Attackers gathered against me, And I did not know it; They tore at me and did not cease; With ungodly mockers at feasts They gnashed at me with their teeth. Lord, how long will You look on? Rescue me from their destructions, My precious life from the lions.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭35:12-17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

You really, really, want to do it; the words are a battering ram, pounding against your teeth; just open your mouth and say it. Wait, maybe we should back up just a little.

There are times when you have done good for a person—listened to all of their woes, put salve on their wounds, covered for some lack—trying to somehow lighten the load of life on their shoulders; yet, they turn around and try to do you in when it serves their purposes.

Case in point, there have been times when there were people who were speaking complete lies against me or someone else, and having the truth on my side—not only of my own innocence but of the accuser’s actual bad deeds—the thought comes to mind, “I’m going to defend myself, and in the process, shed a little light on their life.” I haven’t done it and I won’t do it. But why?

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:19-21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

As much as such vitriol and betrayal hurts, the child of God must not allow that hurt to cause us to do the devil’s work.

To make my point I could parade a whole host of Biblical examples of good people of God being done wrong, having their good returned with evil, yet continuing to walk in righteousness, trusting God to be their vindicator and avenger. But, there is no greater example of this than our Lord.

The good works Jesus did were finally rewarded with betrayal, torture, and crucifixion. Think about it: at one point, earlier on, the religious leaders took up stones to kill Him where He stood:

“Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?””

‭‭John‬ ‭10:31-32‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Yesterday, we looked at a scripture Jesus read in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:18-19). It’s interesting to note that just after His reading of that scripture, a dialogue ensued between He and the religious leaders, ending in their trying to throw Jesus off a cliff:

“So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:28-30‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Talk about being able to take vengeance against such evil-returned-for-good, Jesus could have seen them vaporized; yet, He forgave them.

In our portion from Psalms today we see David seeking his Heavenly Father to bring vengeance on people (he had once cared for) who were trying to destroy him. He was leaving vengeance and vindication to the Lord. This type of prayer is often found throughout the psalms. Here are a couple more examples:

“Those also who render evil for good, They are my adversaries, because I follow what is good. Do not forsake me, O Lord; O my God, be not far from me! Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation!”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭38:20-22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“In return for my love they are my accusers, But I give myself to prayer. Thus they have rewarded me evil for good, And hatred for my love.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭109:4-5‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When Saul was pursuing David to kill him, David came upon Saul sleeping and had the opportunity to do him in. He didn’t, but rather cut off a corner of Saul’s garment. He even regretted that small act:

“Then the men of David said to him, “This is the day of which the Lord said to you, ‘Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, that you may do to him as it seems good to you.’ ” And David arose and secretly cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord.””

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭24:4-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

When people for whom you have done good, turn around and try to do you in, it’s a terrible, terrible feeling. But, we must leave our vindication and vengeance to the Lord.

For today let us know and understand what David knew:

You must leave vengeance to God when people return evil for your good.

#100dayswithdavid