June 7, 2025

June 7   Psalm 35

David was a King and was in the spotlight. I am sure some of his opposition came from people who simply thought they could do better. They probably assumed things like "if I were king" or "if I had the power I would".  The problem from some of them is that they don't realize how heavy the crown really is for David.  They judge the decisions, but they are not always privy to the thought processes or details that go into making the decisions.  There surely should be accountability for poor decisions, but the hatred being shown toward David is over the top.  David I am sure had a pretty thick skin to deal with some of the complaints that came his way, but the vicious attacks on his character surely take a toll.

The problem is that they were not merely speaking against the decisions or the kingship, they were speaking against the man himself.  They were making negative statements regarding the character of the man.  They did not see him as the "man after God's heart".  Things have gotten very personal and in an effort to make themselves look better they viciously attacked David and his character very unfairly.   David knew God was for him, but it still must have felt pretty cold knowing many people were against him.  It must have been very hard knowing who to trust since many who now were against him were once trusted advisors.

We too may feel like people harm our reputation unfairly.  We too may have people who were once friends who turn and in a sense maybe "stab us in the back".  Getting even may feel good, but turning it over to God to deal with is to our greater benefit. God is there for us even when everyone else has turned their back.