Trusting God when the Reviler Attacks — by Ps Sam Powell
[August 4, 2022: There have been some changes made to this post. For more information, read the Editors’ notes at the bottom of the post. Editors.]
Trusting God when the Reviler Attacks
Psalm 31 (NKJV)
by Ps Sam Powell
(Psalm 31)
(1) In You, O LORD, I put my trust;
Let me never be ashamed;
Deliver me in Your righteousness.
(2) Bow down Your ear to me,
Deliver me speedily;
Be my rock of refuge,
A fortress of defense to save me.(3) For You are my rock and my fortress;
Therefore, for Your name’s sake,
Lead me and guide me.
(4) Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me,
For You are my strength.
(5) Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth.(6) I have hated those who regard useless idols;
But I trust in the LORD.
(7) I will be glad and rejoice in Your mercy,
For You have considered my trouble;
You have known my soul in adversities,
(8) And have not shut me up into the hand of the enemy;
You have set my feet in a wide place.(9) Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am in trouble;
My eye wastes away with grief,
Yes, my soul and my body!
(10) For my life is spent with grief,
And my years with sighing;
My strength fails because of my iniquity,
And my bones waste away.
(11) I am a reproach among all my enemies,
But especially among my neighbors,
And am repulsive to my acquaintances;
Those who see me outside flee from me.
(12) I am forgotten like a dead man, out of mind;
I am like a broken vessel.
(13) For I hear the slander of many;
Fear is on every side;
While they take counsel together against me,
They scheme to take away my life.(14) But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
(15) My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
(16) Make Your face shine upon Your servant;
Save me for Your mercies’ sake.
(17) Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.
(18) Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.(19) Oh, how great is Your goodness,
Which You have laid up for those who fear You,
Which You have prepared for those who trust in You
In the presence of the sons of men!
(20) You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence
From the plots of man;
You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion
From the strife of tongues.(21) Blessed be the LORD,
For He has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong city!
(22) For I said in my haste,
“I am cut off from before Your eyes”;
Nevertheless You heard the voice of my supplications
When I cried out to You.(23) Oh, love the LORD, all you His saints!
For the LORD preserves the faithful,
And fully repays the proud person.
(24) Be of good courage,
And He shall strengthen your heart,
All you who hope in the LORD.
You can listen to this sermon by clicking on the link above.
[August 4, 2022: Editors’ notes:
—For some comments made prior to August 4, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be an exact match.
—For some comments made prior to August 4, 2022 that quoted from the post, the text in the comment that was quoted from the post might no longer be found in the post.
If you would like to compare the text in the comments made prior to August 4, 2022 that quoted from the post to the post as it is now (August 4, 2022), click here [Internet Archive link] for the most recent Internet Archive copy of the post.]
***
Further Reading
Another Look at the Abuser as Reviler
An Abuser is Called a “Reviler” in Scripture, And the Reviler is no Christian
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- Posted in: Christianity
- Tagged: Psalms, reviler, Sam Powell, sermons, verbal abuse
A Cry For Justice 
This is wonderful. I needed to hear this sermon. How many abused women have smear campaigns orchestrated against them? How many rape victims have whole towns turned against them, so much so, they have to move and even when they move away, the torment continues in their new town? How many innocents have been mobbed out of the workplace, out of their community, because of the viciousness and wickedness of the mobbing bullies?
God hears our prayers. God listens to us. Our voices and our negative experiences count with God. He sees what they are doing to us. He knows our sufferings. And someday we believers will be called home to be with God and we’ll get to leave this wretched world.
There is such beauty in the Psalms. Even those Psalms that speak of curses against the ungodly have such comfort for God’s people. I used to be confused by those – and then I met a wolf and understood.
God hears the prayers of His people. He keeps our tears in His bottle.
I’m glad you were comforted by the sermon.
When I was young and sheltered, I didn’t know what to think of such Psalms. I thought such were really harsh and scary sounding but now that I have been eaten by wolves — with impunity — it’s like a soothing bedtime story for a baby.
Listening to your sermons is really great as it seems as though someone ‘gets it’ and many upright people I try to tell about the mobbing, or other vicious smear campaigning and mob-bully attacks, they act as though it is inconceivable that such would actually be happening. You and I know better.
I also learn a lot and that’s wonderful because what’s better than learning more about God, His Holy Word, and understanding the Word better?
Preach, Pastor Powell, preach! 🙂
Anonymous Person,
Agreed 100%!!!!
Perfect summation!!!