Psalm 140…slander…

  Psalm 140…slander…

Slander…

“: the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another's reputation?

: a false and defamatory oral statement about a person,” Merriam Webster.. 

Psalm 140 may have been written during David’s time as he was fleeing from Saul…words falsely accusing David by Saul…

 Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;preserve me from violent men, who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpent's,and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah 

Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;preserve me from violent men,who have planned to trip up my feet. 

The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,and with cords they have spread a net;beside the way they have set snares for me. Selah 

I say to the Lord, You are my God;

give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord! O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,you have covered my head in the day of battle. 

Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted! Selah 

As for the head of those who surround me,let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! 

Let burning coals fall upon them!

Let them be cast into fire,into miry pits, no more to rise! 

Let not the slanderer be established in the land;let evil hunt down the violent man speedily! 

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,and will execute justice for the needy. 

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;the upright shall dwell in your presence.Ps.140.1-13

This psalm could be written today…slanders have not ceased being around…evil still abounds…those who are good are still be accused…there are “mischief “, wicked, violent, those who make war, needy, afflicted….none of this has gone away over the centuries…we haven’t gotten any better…sin still abounds…

But Grace abounds all the more…

The same  Lord whom David called upon can still be called upon today… He still saves, still lifts up, still executes justice for the needy…

Thank YOU…Help me not to be among the slanderous…guard my tongue…

 “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.Lev.19.15-16

Let not the slanderer be established in the land;let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!Ps.140.11

 Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.Prov.11.13

 But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.

Matt.15.18-19

 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.Col.3.8

 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,Titus.2.3