Psalm 7 - Sticks and Stones

How do you respond to slander?

We're all familiar with the witty comeback for use when one is verbally attacked.  Goes something like this, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words can never hurt me."  That's just not true.  In fact, it seems that it is precisely the slanderous use of words that occasions the writing of Psalm 7.

Psalm 7 has this heading: "A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush, a Benjaminite."

The opening of the Psalm is instructive.  David writes, "Yahweh my God, I seek refuge in You."  He opens the Psalm with an appeal to God for justice.  The rest of the Psalm delights in God's righteousness.

Too often, we rush to defend ourselves when injustice is done against us and put ourselves in danger of repaying evil for evil or stealing God's right of retribution.  David rests in God.

This reminds me of a situation in David's life when he was attacked not only with words but even with stones as well.  In 2 Samuel 16, we find David being attacked by Shimei, a descendent of Saul, who sees David's loss of throne as retribution by God for taking the throne from Saul.  He curses the king and throws rocks and sand at him.  One of David's followers is ready to  go up and kill Shimei on the spot, but David stops him, recognizing God's sovereignty.  However, years later, David instructs his son, Solomon to administer justice in his place (1 King 2:8, 9).

As king of Israel, David would have been justified to bring immediate retribution to Shimei, but he chose to let God vindicate him; and God restored his throne.

Though our world is full of injustice, our God is righteous and in Him we must take refuge.

I will thank the LORD for His righteousness; I will sing about the name of Yahweh the Most High. (Psa 7:17 HCSB)