In Psalms one hundred nine David said speaking of his enemies, “For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer”, and in chapter one hundred nine and verse five of Psalms David said, “they have rewarded me evil for good” where we read,
And they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love.
The verse begins, “And they have rewarded me evil for good, …” David began with the words, “and they have rewarded me” or “and they, the people who were deceitful, lying and fighting against David, have put, set, placed, appointed, and laid upon me, David” “evil for good” which means “bad, disagreeableness, malignancy, unpleasantness and misery instead and in place of pleasantness, agreeableness, excellence and value”. David said his opposing foes appointed “wickedness and misery” instead of excellence and value.
The verse goes on to say, “… and hatred for my love.” David continued with the words, “and hatred” or “and absolute and exceeding hate” “for my love” which means “instead and in place of my, David’s, affection and love”. David said his hating foes gave him exceeding hate in pleace of his affectionate love for them.
When we consider the words in this verse, we discover how David said his foes returned wickedness to him even though he gave them pleasantness, and they returned exceeding hate for his abundant love. This sounds familiar. God is good, and He is love. He offers life, breath and sustenance to people, and He gave His Only Begotten Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and come alongside us when we receive “evil for good” and “hate for love” in the same manner He did when He was on the earth.
Next time David says, “set you a wicked man over him”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
See more devotionals on the website “thewordfortodaywithray.com” or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book “Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II” and the new novel “Elizabeth County” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from “Strongs Concordance”.
Ray Hanselman 