Dr. Rick Griffith The Book of Psalms 49

Secondly, like David, accusers secretly and fearlessly speak malicious words about you. I once was even falsely accused of being involved in a homosexual relationship with a man whom I was discipling. Perhaps you are in a very vulnerable position and thus are an easy target.

Thirdly, perhaps like David, critics work together on a plan to hurt you when you don't suspect trouble. Maybe you're familiar with the Sawi Indians with whom the famous missionary Don Richardson shared the gospel. Of all their values, they esteemed treachery above all else. Joseph's brothers also put their heads together to undo him, leaving him for dead. Maybe out of envy someone would really like to see you out of the way, too.

Fourthly, your situation might be like David's in that connivers are planning malicious schemes against you from their wicked thoughts. Proverbs 23:7 says about the selfish man, "as he thinks within himself, so he is." Some people have a very difficult time thinking that others have pure motives because they can't imagine a selfless motive in themselves. Perhaps you are the victim of such corrupt thoughts which lead to corrupt words leveled against you.

Can you relate to any of these situations? I hope you can't, but I know that for some of you your backs are against the wall as hungry dogs revile and attack you.

Well, we've talked enough about the problem, but what do you do when you're in such dire straits? Should you aim right back at them with equally vicious arrows? Should you plan the ole "counterattack?" Should you just give your attacker the cold shoulder? David first brought it to the Lord in prayer in verses 1-6, but then he "turned the other cheek" and let them have it, right? No, in the next section we'll observe that he left his problem with the LORD…

Verses 7-9 record David's solution and our solution to slander. The solution: when slandered we should leave the vengeance to God. If there's anything you remember from this message let it be this principle: Don't take your own revenge! When you're faced with your accusers, don't retaliate, don't plan a vendetta, but instead let the LORD deal with them. When you leave it in His hands you know what will happen? Verses 7-9 cite four results of leaving it in God's hands:

The first result of leaving those who reproach us in His hands is that God will suddenly judge those who slander us. Notice verse 7,

"But God will shoot them with arrows; suddenly they will be struck down."

The archery imagery used of the enemies in verses 3-4 reappears here in reference to God who will "strike them down" by defeating their plans. Before we saw the wicked shooting at the innocent, but notice who's doing the shooting here! God takes up the offense for His people so that He shoots arrows at the wicked! God is not a mamby-pamby, benevolent grandfather who's afraid of dealing out the justice which fits the crime.

Remember the church members whom I mentioned earlier, those who slandered the pastor to get him ousted? Well, the pastor made it his conviction not to retaliate, but to leave it in the Lord's hands. And as it turned out, the whole 200 of them were ousted, not the pastor! Returning back to the story of Joseph and his brothers, you know the final chapter there. The brothers who worked together on an evil plan were pierced to the heart by God through grief over what they had done to Joseph and it was only Joseph's mercy that spared them. God takes care of those who slander us when we leave it with Him.

I should note one other thing, though. The text affirms that God will judge slanderers, but it doesn't say when. "Suddenly" here doesn't mean "immediately" but only swiftly and surprizing to