Psalm 140 — Protection From Evil — Aneel Aranha

Rescue me, LORD, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
Keep me safe, LORD, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
I say to the LORD, “You are my God.”
Hear, LORD, my cry for mercy.
Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
Do not grant the wicked their desires, LORD;
do not let their plans succeed.
Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
May burning coals fall on them;
may they be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, never to rise.
May slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down the violent.
I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
Surely the righteous will praise your name,
and the upright will live in your presence.

We live in a world where evil is very much present. We face challenges, betrayals, and situations where it feels like the world is against us. What can we do? We can take a few tips from David, who has faced people who "devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up wars every day." He describes them as people whose tongues are as sharp as serpents and have venom of vipers on their lips. It's a vivid portrayal of deceit and malice. However, what stands out in this psalm, and what I'd like to focus on, is the protection we can obtain from evil.

David sings, "I say to the LORD, 'You are my God.' Hear, LORD, my cry for mercy. Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, you shield my head in the day of battle." David is not just asking for protection; he's acknowledging that God has been, and continues to be, his protector. He recognizes that in the midst of battles, both literal and figurative, it's God who stands as his shield. We must remember that God is our shield, our protector against all forms of evil.

Jesus taught us a prayer, and one of the petitions resonates with this theme in this psalm. It goes: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13). Jesus acknowledges the reality of evil in the world and teaches us to seek God's protection from it.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul expands on this theme of protection. He writes: "Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes" (Ephesians 6:11). It's a call to be proactive, to equip ourselves with faith, truth, righteousness, and the word of God, so we can stand firm against any evil that comes our way.

So, when we find ourselves in situations where we feel surrounded by deceit, malice, or any form of evil, let us remember David's plea in this psalm and Jesus' words in the Gospel of Matthew. God is our protector, our shield. And with him on our side, we have the assurance of protection from all forms of evil.

God bless you.