Counting God’s Enemies As Mine

Minister:
Date: PM
Text: Psalm 139
Psalters: 16, 211, 385, 383
  • Psalm 139: 19-22

    COUNTING GOD’S ENEMIES AS MINE

    I. Who 

    A. David is speaking of Jehovah’s enemies (not his personal enemies).

    B. They are “wicked” (19a).

    C.They are blasphemers (20), openly and unashamedly taking God’s name in vain, mocking Christianity and the Bible,

    D.They “rise up against” God (21), making themselves to be gods, in control of their own lives.

    E. They are “bloody” (19b), i.e., killing literally or with hatred: persecuting saints, approving abortion, hating personal enemies.

    II. What about these wicked?

    A. First, God will surely slay them. “Surely” means that David is certain divine punishment will come: Ps. 1:5; 2:4; 5:4,5,10;

    7:6,8,9.

    B. Further, David “hates” them, i.e., holds them in aversion, and is “grieved” (to loathe or detest) with them.

    1. We hate them because they hate God, not for their hating me or doing evil to me

    2. How do we manifest this hatred?

    3. Such is our love and esteem for our God’s glory that we pray divine judgment on them for their unrepentant evil.

    C.“Depart from me” (19) is the Old Dispensation type of putting them out of his court (a physical separation).

    D.David makes it a personal matter when he counts God’s enemies as His.

    III. The justification of this hatred.

    A. David is presenting his devotion to God and to godliness, despising all that is contrary to God.

    1. Instead of thinking about ourselves we must focus on Him Who is the love of our life and His glory. Love God more than

    self!

  • 2. Love for God and godliness is defective if it does not generate abhorrence of sin - starting in ourselves, and in others.

    B. Let us show our love for God by also counting as our enemies those who are His (let them be one and the same).

    C.Let us appeal to God (21b) that we take no pleasure in those who rebel against Him and refuse to love Him.