By Bunni Pounds

*This blog is part of our weekly, virtual Bible Study through the book of Psalms. For information on how to participate, please visit this page.

Though the world may look dark, with no hope, and impossible to overcome – here is the promise of the Lord for us TODAY -

“Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” (Psalm 35:27b)

David spends the whole of Psalm 35 detailing out all of the hardship that he was experiencing by the hand of his adversaries. They were fighting against him, pursuing him relentlessly, gathering against him, and mocking him - so why is he singing?

Simply put – he is reminding his soul that his salvation is in God. He cries out to God in the beginning and says, “Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me” (verse 1), and then he asks the Lord to “say to my soul ‘I am your salvation.’” (verse 3). He knows the only way he is going to make it through is if he remembers that the Lord is on his side.

Even today we have some overwhelming obstacles to overcome – we might not be hiding out in a cave in the wilderness like David; but many people around this nation are up against decisions on whether they should violate their conscience and what they feel is right for their own bodies and take a vaccine just to save their jobs.  

I could have never imagined the day when governments and private companies would be willing to lose intelligent skilled workers because they were unwilling to take a “vaccine”. Whether we believe in the vaccine individually for ourselves and our families shouldn’t negate the fact that forcing medical decisions on others is wrong. We don’t know their situations, their reasoning, or whether they are operating out of faith or fear. Many have done tons of research, have talked to doctors themselves, and reached their own conclusions – yet these decisions are being forced upon them and it most likely will be something that will never end.

In the nation of Israel – where they have some of the highest number of cases in the world – yet they are mandating their third booster shot. When will it end – many ask?

If we give in now – will more and more booster shots be forced on us month upon month? When do we draw a line in the sand and demand FREEDOM for every American regardless of our individual choices?

And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord;
It shall rejoice in His salvation.
All my bones shall say,
“Lord, who is like You,
Delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him,
Yes, the poor and the needy from him who plunders him?” (verse 9-10)

The general ongoing theme of this Psalm is awakening our souls to be joyful in the Lord and depend on His salvation.  

God’s salvation is real and sure, and we must choose to rejoice even in the middle of circumstances that look like our enemies are winning. It is not easy!

Many times, on earth everything looks like it is turned upside down and completely unjust. David laments in verses 12-16 how his enemies “reward me evil for good” (verse 12), but how he on the other hand was watching over this enemies and praying for them when they were sick.

It seems unfair and he is making that clear to God.

“Lord, how long will You look on?
Rescue me from their destructions,
My precious life from the lions.
I will give You thanks in the great assembly;
I will praise You among many people.” (verse 17-18)

David sees a vision of himself on the other side of this battle – giving thanks in the “great assembly” and “among many people”. He is reminding His soul in a dark time that he will make it through and what the deliverance of God looks like.

This is a hard season for all of us. Many of us have never been pressed like we are right now.

Just this week – I am walking with 3 of my dear friends who are having to make choices concerning vaccine mandates.

Will one young man stay in the Coast Guard taking the vaccine against what he feels in his heart he must do or take an “administrative honorable discharge” along with thousands of others?

Will one young professional who previously worked for a Member of Congress and did all the research on the vaccines - staying in their good paying job going against her conscious or take the jab?

One close family is watching their father decide to abandon his long-term career and their family income over being forced to take something that they don’t believe in.

What is happening in our nation? Where has liberty gone?

To those of us who are watching this crisis of liberty – we can feel very discouraged even if we are not being affected personally ourselves. We see the injustice in our land and the strength of those in power who feel they can force their will on others regardless of the facts and the full research.

“For they do not speak peace,

But they devise deceitful matters
Against the quiet ones in the land.
They also opened their mouth wide against me,
And said, “Aha, aha!
Our eyes have seen it.” (verse 20-21)

We might look like the quiet ones in the land but those of us who believe in liberty and truth will not be stopped.

Again, all of us have different thoughts about masks, vaccines, quarantines, and social distancing and everything that we have had come into our lives since March of 2020 – but as Americans who understand the value of freedom – we should all agree, that people should be able to assess risk and make decisions on their own.

We put ourselves in a life-threatening situation every time we get into a car and drive on a major highway. Do we force others to drive or ride in a car? No – that is up to them. Decisions should be up to an individual decision maker.

After 28 verses of struggling with the present reality in his life – David reaches this conclusion that should encourage us to do the same.

“Let them shout for joy and be glad,
Who favor my righteous cause;
And let them say continually,
“Let the Lord be magnified,
Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” 

And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness
And of Your praise all the day long.” (verse 27-28)

This is a corporate exhortation of all of the people who favor David’s cause to “shout for joy and be glad”.

Have you ever tried to shout when you didn’t feel like it? It feels downright strange, but when you are doing it in faith – something happens to your soul.

Joy comes in believing in the promises of God for our lives and David is making it clear here that he will trust in the promises of God and he is encouraging everyone in the assembly to do the same.

The promise is this – “Let the Lord be magnified, Who has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.”

Many of us need to hear this promise right now in this turbulent time. I never in a million years would have thought that people in my life would have to make the decisions they are making right now – but the promise here in Psalm 35 still stands.

Jesus told us to fear God rather than man – but he also tells us our value to Him. Be true to what God is saying to you and don’t fear what others might do to you.

“Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:27-31)

Let the Lord be magnified. May we continue to rejoice in joy corporately and individually and may He find pleasure in our prosperity.

This is our prayer today. Do not fear!

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