HELP FOR THE WOUNDED HEART
PSALM 109:22, 26-28 NKJV
22 For I am poor and needy,
And my heart is wounded within me.
26 Help me, O Lord my God!
Oh, save me according to Your mercy,
27 That they may know that this is Your hand—
That You, Lord, have done it!
28 Let them curse, but You bless;
When they arise, let them be ashamed,
But let Your servant rejoice.
As we read this psalm, we get a sense that David is going through some difficult times. These times are not about a physical attack but about people who have spoken evil about him and falsely accused him. And the unkind actions of these people have wounded his heart within him.
Physical wounds are not hard to detect. It's easy to tell if someone has taken some hard hits in their body. On the other hand, wounds to our hearts, our souls, and emotions are not quite as simple to perceive. David is hurting on the inside because of words from people who have accused and opposed him. Inner wounds are not as detectable but every bit as painful.
But, as with almost all of David's psalms, David does not stop with the wounded heart. Instead, David asks God for help. And it's interesting to note that David is asking according to God's mercy. People have been evil, but Lord, Your mercy is good, and by Your mercy save me is the cry of David's heart.
And we have to admire the reason David calls on the Lord's salvation and mercy, not just for relief but also for a testimony of what God can do. David wants the Lord's hand to be seen in his deliverance. He wants other people to know that God has come through for him. David seems to have a sense of the bigger picture. Not simply deliverance from his pain but using that deliverance to glorify God. That's big-picture thinking.
And verse 28 puts a bow on this passage. When people curse, God blesses. People can say all kinds of ugly, false things, and those words can hurt. But the blessings of God override the curses of man.
When the enemies rise up, let them be ashamed, but let your servant rejoice. David is winding up in a good place. Even though he has been hurt. Even though wrong evil things have been said. Even though lies about him have been spread, when God's mercy, help, and blessings show up, God’s servants will rejoice.
APPLICATION
David's perspective of God helps him recover from the wounds of people. Ultimately, David viewed God as bigger than the attacks and slander of man.
As we continue to pursue a living relationship with the living God, our sense of His greatness, power, and mercy to save and deliver us grows in us. When we are feeling the stings of the lies and unkind words that are spoken about us, we don't have to live in that hurt. We can ask God for help. We can ask for His mercy. We can believe His blessings override man's curses. And through the pain, we can rejoice.
PRAYER
Lord, thank You for Your mercy to deliver me. I believe Your blessings on my life are greater than the curses and slander of man. Heal the areas of my heart that have been wounded. And I will give You the credit so that others may see the good You have done in my life and glorify You.