Gospel Reflections #1110: In Times of Distress

Psalm 35:1–2 ‘O Lord, contend with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up the great shield and the shield; arise to help me.’

This is the opening of a prayer in which David, suffering under the attacks of an unjust enemy, implores the Lord God to fight on his behalf.

The word ‘contend’ here implies a legal dispute (controversy) in a court of law.

David was being falsely accused of crimes he had not committed and had false rumours spread about him.

Unable to prove his own innocence, he pleads, ‘O God, be my advocate (judge) and argue the case against my adversary.’

‘Fight for me’ refers to actual armed conflict.

It is a desperate cry for protection not only from verbal disputes but also from physical attacks that threaten his very life.

Verse 2 depicts God appearing in the form of a warrior.

The shield is a light, one-handed shield used to ward off swift attacks.

The large shield is a massive one that covers the entire body, protecting against a hail of arrows. The fact that God holds these two shields is an expression of the request for all-encompassing protection: ‘Please protect me perfectly and without any gaps from any attack whatsoever.’

In the Bible, when God ‘rises up’, it means that He takes direct action (to pass judgement) in order to break the current impasse.

David is not seeking to take revenge by his own strength, but is entrusting the entire battle to God.

Traditionally, this psalm is believed to have been written during the period when David was being unjustly hunted by King Saul and was fleeing through the wilderness.

Although David had done nothing wrong to King Saul (indeed, he had contributed to the nation), he was hated out of jealousy.

In our daily lives, too, we may find ourselves caught up in unwarranted criticism, slander or unreasonable troubles.

This psalm teaches us an attitude of faith: ‘Rather than taking the law into our own hands and sinning, we may pour out our anger and suffering directly to God and entrust the resolution to Him.’

God desires that we bring our negative emotions to Him, rather than directing them towards others.

Furthermore, God desires that we pour out our desire for revenge upon Him as well, trusting in His intervention and entrusting the matter to Him.

In times of distress, it feels as though we are being tested on the extent to which we can trust in God, rely on Him, and entrust ourselves completely to Him.

At such times, we should seek to put our faith into bold action.

AUTHOR'S BIO: This Gospel Reflections page is written by Masae San, who resides in Hiroshima, Japan. Masae is a dedicated student of the Bible with a deep passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She shares her daily reflections on Gospel perspectives to reach out to others and spread the message of God's true love through a Christ-centered approach. We are sharing her insights here so that you, too, can experience the joy that comes from knowing and understanding the true Gospel and the love of God through Jesus Christ.