Psalms Chapter 83
My Enemies or God’s Enemies?
The psalmist cries out to God for he has an issue with “God’s enemies” who are forming an alliance “against God” in order to “destroy God’s people”.
I find this interesting that he calls those against him as God’s enemies because usually we’re frustrated when OUR enemies mistreat US. It bothers ME when they persecute Me or attack ME. I’m devastated. I may even have a hate for them while praying for God’s destruction upon them. But if I see them who attacked me as God’s enemies (meaning those who are against God), then it changes my whole perspective of what’s really happening and how I should respond. Because now, instead of looking at the enemies as hurting ME, I see them really as those hurting GOD. Once I see it from this perspective then my heart changes toward my enemies. Instead of saying, out of hate, God destroy MY enemies because they are hurting ME, I’m filled with love and compassion and my prayer is, God help ME have a heart of love and compassion so they can somehow see Jesus in all of this.
Jesus, at the cross, said father forgive them [God’s enemies] because they don’t know what they are doing. Steven, the first Christian martyr, prayed to God for his enemies and not against them. He said, “Lord do not hold this sin against them”. So when God’s enemies rise up against us, let us attack with love and compassion and pray earnestly to God for them so that they will know the Lord Jesus and be set free from the bondage of sin. Love them. Pray for them. Do good to them.
