Daily Devotions
Psalms
Psalm 31:17 "I have called upon You..."
Day 243 – Psalm 31
“I have called upon You…” Psalm 31:17
AN IMPRECATORY NOTE
David’s prayer to the Lord included an imprecatory note!
“Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD,
for I have called upon You;
Let the wicked be ashamed;
Let them be silent in the grave.
Let the lying lips be put to silence,
Which speak insolent things proudly
and contemptuously against the righteous.”
Psalm 31:17-18
1. “I have called upon You”
a) This is a reference to prayer where invariably he invoked God’s name.
b) This prayer of David was now made public.
c) God’s good Name was now at stake.
d) David’s prayer was that his trust in the Lord would not end in shame.
2. Prayer for judgment against the wicked (imprecatory)
a) The wicked to be ashamed.
b) The wicked to be made silent in the grave (death).
c) Features of those who would be judged and pronounced guilty by God.
i) The wicked
ii) The liars
iii) The insolent
iv) The proud
v) The contemptuous
3. The nature of an imprecatory prayer
This is not a vindictive prayer! It is essentially a prayer for God to uphold justice on earth. The righteous need to be defended and protected from the wicked. The wicked cannot be allowed to prey on the innocent righteous forever!