Psalm 37:1, 14-15 (NKJV) “Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be envious of the workers of iniquity….The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.”
King David wrote Psalm 37 during the latter part of his life, after he had gone through numerous challenges. There are many life lessons that we can learn from him and apply to our lives today. For instance, he was particularly good at dealing with difficult people. He never fretted over the evil that was done to him; he did not dwell on it by asking why God had allowed it to happen, nor did he allow these experiences to consume or define him. Instead, he advised us not to be angry, frustrated, irritated or worried over why evildoers seem to prosper.
At one time or another, we may encounter those who choose to plot evil against us, but the Lord wants us to leave these people alone. If their intent was motivated by the devil or the sinful nature, they will eventually reap what they have sown in their lives. If we allow time and events to play out, we will witness how the evildoers’ own “sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken”. Rather than fretting, we can focus on maintaining our joy and peace in the Lord.
1 Samuel 31:4 (NKJV) Then Saul said to his armorbearer, ‘Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised men come and thrust me through and abuse me.’ But his armorbearer would not, for he was greatly afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword and fell on it.
King David did not fret over King Saul’s actions or sought to exact vengeance. Instead, he left it in the hands of God. Driven by his own weaknesses and insecurity, King Saul had tried to hunt down and kill David for years. Yet on the occasions when he could have killed Saul and paid him back for his violence and unfair treatment towards him, David still chose not to lift even a finger against King Saul because he was God’s anointed. As it turned out, King Saul died a very tragic death when he lost the battle to the Philistines after he had strayed away following God. He died by his own sword and committed suicide before his enemies could kill him.
David was definitely a trailblazer in the area of dealing with people who committed evil against him, whether in words or action. He was gracious and forgiving, and he managed to move on to pursue the calling of God upon his life. In spite of one or two events in his life when he stumbled, as recorded in the Bible, he finished his race well and was called a man after God’s own heart.
Sermon Series: Trailblazer
行恶之人必自食苦果
诗篇37:1；14-15 不要为作恶的心怀不平，也不要向那行不义的生出嫉妒… 14恶人已经弓上弦，刀出鞘，要打倒困苦穷乏的人，要杀害行动正直的人。15他们的刀必刺入自己的心；他们的弓必被折断。
大卫王写诗篇37时已经历经了艰辛波折、波澜壮阔的一生，而今垂老矣。我们可以从他身上汲取许多人生的教训，并运用到我们今天的生活中。例如，大卫特别善于与难相处的人打交道。他从不为他所遭遇到针对他的恶行而心怀不平；他既没有耿耿于怀地质问神为什么祂允许这事发生，更拒绝让类似经历耗尽自己或界定自己。恰恰相反，他忠告我们不要因为作恶之人貌似事事亨通而生气、沮丧、烦躁或忧虑。
或早或晚，我们总不免会遭遇到那些选择对我们行恶之人，但主希望我们做的是：别理会这些人！如果他们的意图是出于魔鬼或罪性，有朝一日他们终将自食其果。假以时日，我们将见证这些行恶者将如何经历“他们的刀，必刺入自己的心，他们的弓，必被折断”。与其心怀不平，不如专注于保守我们在主里的平安和喜乐。
撒母耳记上 31:4 就吩咐拿他兵器的人说：「你拔出刀来，将我刺死，免得那些未受割礼的人来刺我，凌辱我。」但拿兵器的人甚惧怕，不肯刺他；扫罗就自己伏在刀上死了。
大卫没有因为扫罗王的行为而心怀不平，也没有寻求报复。恰恰相反，他把这一切交托在神的手中。扫罗王在自己的弱点和不安全感的驱使下，多年来一直试图追捕和杀死大卫. 然而，大卫有许多次机会本可以杀死扫罗，让他为对大卫的暴力和不公的对待付出代价，大卫仍然选择不向扫罗王举起哪怕一根手指，因为扫罗是神的受膏者。后来远离了神的扫罗惨死于与非利士人的败仗中。他死于自己的剑下，在敌人来杀他之前自杀而亡了。
在对付以恶行—无论是以言语还是以行动–对待自己的人方面，大卫绝对是个独辟蹊径之人。他仁慈且宽容，勉力继续行在神对他生命的呼召里。尽管他一生中有一两次跌倒的时候，如圣经中所记，但他很好地完成了他的人生赛跑，并被称为合神心意的人。
讲章系列: 开路先锋
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