Psalm 35 - Vindication

Psalm 35:1, 17-24, 27-28

Contend, Lord, with those who contend with me;
fight against those who fight against me.

How long, Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their ravages,
my precious life from these lions.
I will give you thanks in the great assembly;
among the throngs I will praise you.
Do not let those gloat over me
who are my enemies without cause;
do not let those who hate me without reason
maliciously wink the eye.
They do not speak peaceably,
but devise false accusations
against those who live quietly in the land.
They sneer at me and say, “Aha! Aha!
With our own eyes we have seen it.”
Lord, you have seen this; do not be silent.
Do not be far from me, Lord.
Awake, and rise to my defense!
Contend for me, my God and Lord.
Vindicate me in your righteousness, Lord my God;
do not let them gloat over me.

May those who delight in my vindication
shout for joy and gladness;
may they always say, “The Lord be exalted,
who delights in the well-being of his servant.”
My tongue will proclaim your righteousness,
your praises all day long.

After three failures posting this reflection yesterday, I am beginning to wonder if God is with me in this. My immediate response to this psalm was boredom, not because it's boring, but because I've read many other psalms of the same theme already. It's getting tedious and difficult to say anything I haven't already.

The theme addressed in Psalm 35 is vindication from those who wrongly accuse and seek the downfall of the writer of this prayer. Traditionally speaking, King David wrote this psalm. He is in leadership. As I read the psalm I recognized the feelings he has as he cries out to God for help. He feels unjustly treated, misrepresented and rightfully angry and hurting. He wants God to step in and bring his opponents down.

I thought of President Obama and how he gets blamed for everything that is wrong with this country and our times. I thought of presidents before him who received the same treatment from the press and our fellow Americans. Think of office politics! Coworkers competing for promotion and position. Sometimes making your competition look bad is an advantage for you. If lies about a competitor will get you the sale, or the job, or the contract, then people sometimes do it.

How many sports team coaches are hated and misrepresented by unhappy fans, disappointed parents and disillusioned neighbors? Pastors, and others in leadership, face this kind of stress from time to time. The words of Psalm 35 is on target when you are the target of someone's frustration.

But we all have allies who are faithful to us in the trenches. They rejoice when the truth comes out and our name is cleared of wrongdoing.

I had a friend who was ousted from a county position through unethical political maneuvering by his coworkers. His termination opened the way for their advancement. They helped the process by lying and laying blame at his desk. He prayed for vindication. He asked the Lord for justice. Years went by. He still carried the pain of the embarrassment caused by people he had trusted. Then all of a sudden, the entire group was tossed out on the street. Their unethical politics had finally caught up with them. My friend learned that day that God does bring justice, and when God acts it is with a swiftness that makes your head spin.

When you are in the crosshairs of some negative press, or when you are truly being pursued by an adversary who wishes to see your downfall, remember that God is with you, even if you do not feel His presence. God is working for justice. The truth will come to light. Hang in there and always do the next right thing.