The Enemies of Early-Seekers! Psalm 63:9-11

Text: “But those that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.”

Psalm 63:9-10.

Good morning, successfully seeking Christian!   You have sought to be obedient to the Word of the Lord that you have read; you have indeed, ‘…studied to show yourself approved unto God, a workman/woman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth…’  And, as a direct, and never failing consequences, you have accrued much vital Spiritual knowledge from God  - but you have also multiplied malicious enemies who would, if they possible could, try to destroy your very soul, never mind merely help to detract from or mar your Christian witness for Christ.  Fact. 

It has been a recurring theme throughout our Searching In Psalms series of Bible studies that, when our souls are saved from our sin; and when we are wonderfully redeemed from our sin by the sinless and precious Blood Sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ – we almost immediately receive grave oppositions, hindrances, and persecutions from those with whom we come into contact day and daily. 

Has this been your experience, dear Reader?  It certainly has been mine.  When we get the blessing of true Salvation in Christ, we are assured of the Devil’s own blastings, at the hands of ‘his children’ as well as his own vile hand.

The Lord Jesus teaches us: “Behold (listen, and fully understand!), I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.  But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils and they will scourge you in their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for My sake for a testimony against them and the Gentiles.”  (Matthew 10:16-18)

And again: “And ye shall be hated of all men for My Name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”  (Matthew 10:22)

When you and I – by the gracious leading of God the Holy Spirit – seek to draw close to Christ early; to follow hard and earnestly after Truth; to embrace our Abba Father in Heaven, via the Atonement Sacrifice of His only begotten Son, Christ Jesus – we WILL endure much opposition, hindrance; and be hated by those all around us.  This is merely a fact of our faith.

The apostle Paul, following hard after Jesus, experienced all such hatred of men for Christ’s dear sake:

“But thou hast fully known my doctrine (seemingly a dirty word to some church leaders today!), manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” (2 Timothy 3:10-11)

“The cleaving of David’s spirit was a gluing of the Lord’s Spirit; a marriage of the Lord’s making is altogether incapable of the Devil’s breaking.”  (Alexander Pringle 1657 “…a worthless servant to Christ in the work of His Gospel…”, in, ‘A Stay in Trouble; or, The Saint’s Rest in the Evil Day’.

Such persecutors and tormenters of genuine Christ-serving Christians, are not completely aware, or are often completely unaware, that they are being used of Satan to treat believers in this diabolical fashion.  Their father, the Devil, merely inspires them to do so, and off they go to fulfil his vile will and purpose.  Those that are not redeemed by Christ, He defines as ‘the Devil’s children’.

“Why do ye not understand My speech?   Even because ye cannot hear My Word.  Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts (whims, will) of your father ye will do.  He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.  When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:43-44)

Yet, all such unsaved, reprobate (rejected by God) persons, have their own personal responsibility for this sin perpetrated, and sad to say, must reap the severe punishments reserved by God for their actions against ‘His people’ in Christ.  They are doubly guilty, and declared to be so by the Lord.

Verse 9.  “But they that seek my soul, to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  Every blow aimed against the godly  will recoil on the persecutor; he who smites a believer drives a nail in his own coffin.”  (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David, page 276)

Bible Expositor, Matthew Henry comments:  “Those that follow hard after God, would soon fail, if God's right hand did not uphold them. It is he that strengthens us and comforts us. The psalmist doubts not but that though now sowing in tears, he should reap in joy. Messiah the Prince shall rejoice in God; he is already entered into the joy set before him, and his glory will be completed at his second coming. Blessed Lord, let our desire towards Thee increase every hour; let our love be always upon Thee; let all our enjoyment be in Thee, and all our satisfaction from Thee. Be Thou all in all to us while we remain in the present wilderness state, and bring us home to the everlasting enjoyment of Thee forever.”  (Matthew Henry's 1662-1714, Concise Commentary on the Bible, Psalms 63)

Online commentary, Enduring Word commenting on Psalm 63, says:

Verse 9. “But those who seek my life, to destroy it: David’s deep communion with God did not take away his problems. There were still those who wanted to kill him. According to its title, Psalm 63 was written from the Wilderness of Judah and David was in the wilderness hiding from a conspiracy to kill him.”  (Enduring Word online)

Verse 10. “They shall fall by the sword: David trusted God to deal with his enemies, especially with King Saul. In God’s time and in God’s way, David’s enemies did fall by the sword, which has the sense of being killed in battle.” 

(Enduring Word online: Enduring Word exists to promote the work of Christian discipleship and evangelism worldwide, mainly through the publication and dissemination of the Bible teaching work of David Guzik and likeminded people.)

Thought: When we seek the Lord early, and serve the risen Christ faithfully and earnestly – we shall have deadly enemies – but the Lord God deals with all our enemies without fail.  Standing fast in faith, the believer is assured of Divine protection, help, and full assurance of Salvation in Christ Jesus.  Glory to His Name!