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Day 276

Psalm 35:12a "They reward me evil for good..."

Day 276 – Psalm 35

“They reward me evil for good…” Psalm 35:12a

RECALLING PAINFUL MEMORIES

Imprecatory prayers are often couched in painful experiences. David recalled some of those moments.

“Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know.
They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul.”
Psalm 35:11-12

David employed the image of a court of law as he wrote about his struggles against the wicked.

1. “Fierce witnesses rise up”

a) The wicked seemed to have gone to great lengths to obtain witnesses.
b) These witness would of course testify falsely.
c) We are reminded of Jesus and the false witnesses raised up against Him (Matthew 26:59-61)

2. “They ask me things that I do not know”

a) Obviously these were trumped up charges.
b) David could not give answers to fabricated lies.
c) He could only protest that he did not know how to answer his enemies.

3. “They reward me evil for good”

a) The enemies had been beneficiaries of David’s largesse.
b) They had received kindness and favours from David in times past.
c) They were not grateful for they turned on David and “rewarded evil for good”.

4. “To the sorrow of my soul”

a) These were painful and sorrowful experiences.
b) David could not help but write about how the sorrow he felt went deep down – to the level of the soul!