**Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.** Psalm 27:11
Today’s verse gives us a look into what we can do when someone declares themselves our enemy by his actions or words.
David says….Lord, teach me!
Show me how to act, how to respond, what to do when I am falsely accused, when I am insulted, criticized or even when I am physically attacked.
David desired to act appropriately in every situation and if you know his story, he had many opportunities to practice what to do when someone rose up against him. There was King Saul, his own son Absalom, his own friend and counselor, Ahithophel.
David tried to show them grace and mercy, but they still pursued him relentlessly and worked towards his downfall.
In his psalms, he talks about what it was like, how he felt and what he asked of God in each situation. Sometimes he begged mercy, sometimes, justice. He felt betrayed, hurt, innocent, that their attacks were unjustified. But none of that kept them from pursuing him and desiring his demise. David sowed good and many times received evil as his reward.
David always tried to seek counsel from God to do right, to know how to respond during so many difficult situations. He wanted to please God, even in the toughest of times.
That is not always our response, right? Sometimes, when things get ugly for us, we respond in like, don’t we?
David helps us to see how we should respond to those that are not acting in the friendliest of manners….
He walked away. The more he was pursued, the more distance he tried to put between himself and his enemies.
He put them in God’s hands. He didn’t fight back. He depended on God to fight for him. He didn’t seek revenge.
He remembered all the good he had been given daily by God. He gave thanks and he praised God and sang and wrote songs about his problems, trusting God to take care of him and work things out the way God wanted them to work out.
That is one of the tough parts, right? The way GOD wants them to work out. Usually I am thinking about how I want things to work out, to my advantage even.
It’s also hard at times to stay focused on gratitude, praise and singing. But, for me, it is because I am too busy looking out for my own interests. I can get caught up in trying to be right, or getting my way. And I forget that God is in charge of me, and my job is to help people see Him, not me.
Teach me THY way, O LORD.
That’s the key. ….not my way….HIS WAY..
that was David’s heart….LORD, teach me your way.
Teach us, Lord!