Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 55:9 "Destroy, O LORD, and divide their tongues..."
Day 158 – Psalm 55
“Destroy, O LORD, and divide their tongues…” Psalm 55:9
AN IMPRECATORY SPIRIT
An imprecatory spirit is not the very best kind of spirit to possess. It is a very human feeling though. The imprecatory spirit has its uses though, as the following text may suggest.
“Destroy, O LORD, and divide their tongues,
For I have seen violence and strife in the city.”
Psalm 55:9
1. “Destroy, O LORD”
a) An imprecatory spirit is “a fighting spirit”.
b) David needed to overcome the fears that were pushing him towards cowardice.
c) Suddenly, he cries out to God to destroy his enemies.
d) He had begun to fight back.
2. “And divide their tongues”
a) David was a military man from a very young age.
b) He was a master strategist in battle.
c) This military spirit within him caused him to pray that God would bring about division in the ranks of his enemies. Division would weaken them.
3. “For I have seen violence and strife in the city”
a) Violence was a weapon of his enemies.
b) Strife was another powerful weapon many employed to gain an advantage.
4. David’s basis of appeal
a) He was in fact appealing to God as Judge, and one committed to upholding justice.
b) The wickedness of his enemies was brought up as a valid reason for God to destroy them.
David was once again in his element of fighting his enemies with righteous courage and zeal.