Psalm, Chapter 35
Prayer for Rescue from Enemies.
A Psalm of David.
35 Contend, O Lord, with those who contend with me;
Fight against those who fight against me.
- Prayer for rescue from enemies is the title
- if there is prayer going on to be rescued from enemies it would appear that something has already happened where the enemies have taken some level of control and now you need to be rescued
- Contend O Lord with those who contend with me
o Content means to strive in opposition or against difficulties, struggle
o to strive in competition, as in a race
o to strive in controversy or debate dispute
o When David ask the Lord to contend he is asking God to enter the contest to participate if you would in the struggle; you might say it is a request that God come down from his high spiritual place and intervene with those in the flesh
§ I think it is very important for us to remember that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but from spiritual wickedness in high places
§ physical enemies upon the earth are spiritually motivated
- fight against those who fight against me
o David is now making the request much more personal as he asked God to fight against those who are fighting against him (this would be direct physical intervention from God against those that are attempting physical harm toward David and his family)
2 Take hold of [a]buckler and shield
And rise up for my help.
- Take hold of buckler and shield (these are instruments of war designed to defend; the buckler from blows; the shield for the body)
o this would seem to imply that some of the attacks are against your head or your mind
o others would be against your whole body this could be your heart or other members of your body
- and rise up for my help
o to rise that means that God gets up from his throne and gets to his feet and starts moving towards David and more specifically towards his eneies to do battle
§ David is actually asking God to take action to get physical
3 Draw also the spear and [b]the battle-axe to meet those who pursue me;
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.”
- Draw also the sphere and the battle axe to meet those who pursue me
o this is very aggressive
o the spear would be something you would throw at someone to literally try and Pierce through their body or their heart to kill them
o the battle axe would also be to cause deadly damage
o David is asking God to take up these weapons of war to meet those who are pursuing him (it would be a dominant force and an answer to their aggression)
- say to my soul, I am your salvation
o since he is speaking to his soul he would be speaking to that part of him which would live forever; he is asking that God would give him confidence for eternity with regards to his future
o do you believe that God is strong enough to protect you from any enemy
Intro to Outbless Weekly
Thanks for listening to Outbless.com
