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Psalm 35

This week’s psalm finds us, sadly for the psalmist, in very familiar territory. A great many of the psalms arise out of the context of conflict. The writer in this case seems surrounded by human enemies who seek his injury, hence the theme of the psalm is an appeal for God to intervene. Now, it is certainly true that at some times in our lives we are directly in conflict with people who, for reasons known to themselves, have “taken agen us,” as we say in Great Britain. There’s no pleasing some people, it seems. You try to be conciliatory, to find some common ground, but the response is always hostility. One comes to the conclusion sometimes that it is not their taking exception to something you have said or done but a deeper dislike of who you simply are. One cannot, of course, do very much about that! These dislikes are often rooted in an obscure sense of envy or resentment that might actually be very little to do with you personally but arises from some deep hurt in a person’s upbringing. Only God can heal such things, but one must be willing to admit need and turn to God for that healing. The only thing you can do in that situation is to be true to yourself and to be firm in what you believe to be right but to do all with gentleness and patience.

Another way of understanding the contending parties in this psalm is to see the whole drama unfolding on a spiritual level. Those who love Christ and seek to follow his holy purpose in their lives come out of cover, so to speak, and expose themselves to the attacks of those who are Christ’s enemies. Generally speaking, you will get, spiritually, a rougher ride the more closely you follow the will of God. The apostle Peter writes: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in so far as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13).

The enemies in the psalm “requite . . . evil for good” (verse 12) and they lay traps for the unwary, which is a pretty good metaphor for the entangling thoughts that lead us into temptation.

While we should not go to the extreme of imagining demons in every corner, we nevertheless should also avoid the opposite mistake of consigning all ideas of spiritual opposition to some kind of antiquated medieval rubbish bin. Temptation is real enough. Evil is real enough. We work for our own downfall if we are complacent about the reality of such things. The writer C. S. Lewis, famous on both sides of the Atlantic, develops this idea in his works. The devil, he says, is delighted when we are content to see him as a child’s bogeyman, a figure of fun: “Yes, go on believing that, then you will not be on guard when I choose to attack.”

The principal characteristics of evil are deceit, lying, and destructiveness. These are the “malicious witnesses” of the psalm (verse 11). Evil is essentially life-denying and uncreative. All it can do is break down and undermine. Indeed, many theologians have speculated about whether it has any “being” at all, which does not mean that it doesn’t exist but that, compared to life, God’s life, it’s like a kind of black hole that even frustrates the attempt of light to escape from it.

Nevertheless, one must not overstate its power. Christ has defeated evil and death for good and all and, in the context of the spiritual battle, is extremely active in our defense. The psalm speaks of God’s angels driving our opponents “like chaff before the wind” (verse 5). Angels, as majestic and terrifying beings of heavenly power, should not be confused with the pre-Raphaelite feathery fantasies of the artists. Remember, in the New Testament, whenever an angel turns up, people’s first response is generally to run for it!

Ultimately, the fate of evil is to destroy itself. The fate, also, of people who embrace evil is that they are destroyed by it. As the psalm says: “let the net which they hid ensnare them; / let them fall therein to ruin!” (verse 8). Human weakness and self-deception are one thing; but we must never lose sight of the reality of evil, even though, finally, evil is a snake that bites its own tail.

For Reflection

What do you think about spiritual opposition in your walk with Christ?

Prayer

Heavenly Lord, in Christ you have delivered me from the bonds of sin and evil. As your freed child, keep me faithful to your holy purpose. Amen.