“O LORD my God, in you do I take refuge; save me from all my pursuers and deliver me, 2 lest like a lion they tear my soul apart rending it in pieces, with none to deliver. 3 O LORD my God, if I have done this, if there is wrong in my hands, if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, 5 let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust. 6 Arise, O LORD, in your anger; lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies; awake for me; you have appointed a judgment. 7Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered about you; over it return on high. 8 The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. 9 Oh, let the evil of the wicked come to an end, and may you establish the righteous—you who test the minds and hearts,O righteous God! 10 My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. 11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation ev’ry day.” Psalm 7:1-11

“Psalm 7 is also a psalm of prayer. It laments over slanderers who accuse the saints and their teachings as being riotous, opposed to the authorities, and disturbing the peace. In this way Shimei the Benjaminite (2 Samuel 16:5–14) slandered the pious David as if David had stolen King Saul’s kingdom. In the same way, Christ was also accused before Pilate, and even now slanderers defame the Gospel. David fights against this affliction with prayer and cries to God of his innocence. By David’s own example, he shows us that such a prayer was granted, so that we might have comfort. The psalm also threatens the slanderers and oppressors and holds before them the example of those who perish before they accomplished the evil they intended. It belongs, like the preceding psalm, in the Second Commandment and the First Petition.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

The Psalmist writes: “…if I have repaid my friend with evil or plundered my enemy without cause, let the enemy pursue my soul and overtake it, and let him trample my life to the ground and lay my glory in the dust.” So often we ask G-d to be hard on another person, someone we think has done wrong, but somehow we hope that G-d gives us a “get out of sin card”. We want others to face G-d’s wrath while hoping G-d will be merciful with our judgment. Here, the Psalmist is clearly saying, “What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

Expecting G-d’s firm judgment for our iniquities will help keep us on a straighter and narrower path — or at least it should. Realizing that we deserve G-d’s discipline in our lives should also give us pause, and help us to be more compassionate with others when they harm us. We all are sinners and fall short of the glory of G-d. But, G-d is also merciful and full of compassion — therefore we do get what we deserve. If we seek to follow G-d in all ways, even if obeying and living the way of the Lord seems completely out of our grasp, the Grace of G-d will mean there will be no need for G-d’s just discipline. Then we can live into that Grace by giving it to others — for, “What is good for the goose, is good for the gander.”

Prayer

Lord, our God, lover of the truth, help those who, for Your name’s sake, are lied against and slandered innocently. Strengthen, comfort, and uphold those who suffer wrongfully, and break and hinder the craftiness of evil men who would suppress Your truth and destroy Your kingdom. Amen.

“O LORD, rebuke me not in your anger, nor discipline me in your wrath. Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing; heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is greatly troubled. But you, O LORD—how long? 4 Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. 5 For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? 6 I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping. My eye wastes away because of grief; it grows weak because of all my foes. 8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my plea; the LORD accepts my prayer. 10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled; they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.” Psalm 6

“Psalm 6 is a psalm of prayer. It laments the great yet hidden suffering of the conscience when, on account of sins, one’s faith and hope are tormented by the law and anger of God and driven to despair or erring faith. This suffering is called elsewhere in the Psalter “the bonds of death” and “the ropes of hell,” or “the misery of death” and “the anguish of hell.” At the end of Psalm 6, the psalmist sees that his prayer has been heard. He is therefore a trustworthy example for those who find themselves in such affliction, so that they may not remain in it. The psalmist rebukes the workers of evil, that is, the false saints who generally hate and persecute such afflicted people. Because their comfort is in their own holiness, they know nothing of these trials. They are therefore utter enemies of the true faith. This psalm belongs to the First and Second Commandments because it commends the struggle of those who believe in God and pray against sin and death. It is in the First Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, as are all other psalms of prayer, because its prayer is that God’s name be called upon and blessed.” (Martin Luther, Reading the Psalms with Luther)

Many times we make the wrong changes — changes to our jobs, to our marriages, changes to our place of worship. Sometimes the reasons are valid — but many times they are simply because we are unhappy with life, with ourselves, even with G-d. The roots of this unhappiness is often sin. Better said, often what is eating at us is the unhappiness we feel about ourselves. We know we need to change, but it is easier to blame our unhappiness on something else. And then, over time, our conscience calls within us that we are not doing what is right and there must be changes made.

When it is time for change, then it is time for us to go before G-d with a change of mind and heart. How needed this is among so many today. In the distress of our own unrighteousness we need to remember that the Lord calls us to turn to G-d — and not run from the G-d. In the distress of our arguments, our anger, our unrighteousness, and our poor decisions, we need to turn to the Lord and ask for forgiveness — and for reconciliation. Just like the Prodigal Son, when we return to the Father, He is always there to take us back. It does not matter what sins have been committed, the Lord welcomes us home with open arms.

Prayer

O Lord, God of mercy, forgive us all our sins for the sake of the bitter sufferings of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Grant us a triumphant faith by which we may obtain the victory in all afflictions and temptations, and uphold us by Your grace when we must pass through the valley of the shadow of death. Amen.