“Rescue me from my enemies, O God. Protect me from those who have come to destroy me. Rescue me from these criminals; save me from these murderers.” Psalms 59:1-2 NLT
How to pray when you’re attacked! David knew how to bring his honest, earnest thoughts, fears and prayers to God. Again, how many of us talk with God with such specificity? David lists their methods of stalking and trash talking. “They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer.” Isn’t it interesting that David KNOWS that God hears his prayer, but also hears the profane disregard for decency of the thugs that work for King Saul.
David also asks God to NOT kill them, but to throw them off balance, “Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield.”
But while all of this is going on, even amidst the prayer for protection, David decides to behave in a very specific way. He decides, “But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love.” He sings about God’s power, not the thugs. He starts his day by singing with joy about God’s unfailing (secure) love! David owns his attitude and sets his behavior everyday that he is going through this incredible pressure of being hunted down by the King. This is a lesson for me, for us when we feel that we are under the threat and pressure of attacks – real or perceived!
Prayer
Dad,
You know that when I am feeling out of control or certainly under any kind of attack, that my mind obsesses, for days, over the possible negative endings. And if it feels like an unjustified correction or complaint against me – it just sends me spiraling.
I’ve have tried and tried to shorten the amount of time it takes me to gain my mental footing and talk myself back into anything healthy. David met his enemies both external (the thugs) and internal (his own fears) with a very practical action – he prayed, he sang. He reminded himself of who YOU are and then sang about how trustworthy you are until joy and a sense of peace brought him back from the brink of that mental cliff.