LORD’S DAY, JULY 8
Psalm 7:1-17
James 4:11

Day of all the week the best!

APPEAL TO GOD AGAINST THE BLACK SLANDERER

“Shiggaion,” which occurs also in Habakkuk 3 in the plural form, has the sense of “wandering.” One interpretation is that this Psalm is to be sung to a “wandering” tune, a tune full of variations of tone. Such a tune seems fitting to the words of this Psalm.

Who is Cush the Benjamite? Some think Cush is a hidden name for Saul, for he was from the house of Benjamin. Others consider the name Cush as symbolical of the dark malice of David’s enemy, inasmuch as a Cushite, an Ethiopian, is black. In Calvin’s opinion, David is here referring simply to a wicked accuser by the name of Cush. With all these thoughts in mind, we may be justified to title this Psalm “Appeal to God Against the Black Slanderer.”

To slander is to falsely accuse another before a third person. This is punishable by law. What aggravates this slandering of David, whether before the king, his ministers, or the people, is that David was at peace with his accuser and had even delivered the same from trouble (Ps 7:4). Slander is character assassination so often practised by the ungrateful and jealous. So like mad dogs they bite the hand that feeds them.

We who are confronted by such a situation in our innocence (Ps 7:3) and are stuck as it were in a hole, with no one to help, let us remember with David that there is a God to appeal to (Ps 7:1), who will deliver judgment for the righteous against all the forces of evil. David’s defence against slander is in God. David believes that the evil perpetrated by his enemy will boomerang against his enemy in the end (Ps 7:15-16).

Divine retribution comes swift and sure, or long delayed, but it will surely come. Let us refrain from speaking guile against our brother. Martin Luther would not listen to anyone who should speak a word against his brother in his absence.

THOUGHT: (Read James 4:11.)
PRAYER: Forgive my evil speaking, Lord. May I always remember James 4:11a.