O let the evil of the wicked come to an end, but establish the righteous, you who test the minds and hearts, O righteous God.
Psalm 7:9
Psalm 7 is David's plea for help from persecutors. The young David was respected and liked by everyone. Cush, a Benjamite and a possible relation of King Saul, accused David of conspiracy against Saul's royal authority. The king believes Cush's accusations, both from his jealousy of David's popularity, and from the familial relationship between himself and Cush. This is clearly a case of he who advises the king can have significant influence for good or bad. In Psalm 7, David asks for protection from God against Saul and Cush's accusations of treason and treachery.
This particular verse contains two key prayers: to end the reign of the wicked, and establish the righteous. How many times have we perceived ourselves to be wronged by others? Do we deal with our wrongs like David does, by asking God to vanquish the wicked? Or do we want to take matters into our own hands? We are taught that God will deal with the wicked, and recognize those who are right, but how frequently are we patient enough to wait for God's judgment and action?
Even David, in earlier verses of Psalm 7, has doubts that God is listening. Are we as patient as David? Does the pace of our lives push us to settle and resolve grievances at a faster pace? How many wrongs are truly life-changing? If David has the patience to ask God for help in a life-or-death situation, can we really be less patient in our lives?
Ruth L. Lodder
