Psalms 71:13

Psalms 71:13 says, Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.  David prayed that were adversaries to his soul be confounded and consumed.  I don't believe that we are doing wrong if we pray for those who would harm us spiritually to be confused, but we are still called on to reach out to them with the love of Christ.  Verse fourteen adds, But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.  David said that even if he were surrounded by enemies that he would continually put his faith in God and praise Him even more.  So must we as followers of Christ today.  Verse fifteen declares, My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.  David said that he would speak of God's righteousness and His salvation all day, because he did not know the number of his days.  We should also speak of God's righteousness and salvation daily, because we don't know the number of our days nor the number of the days of those that we are witnessing to.  Verse sixteen adds, I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.  David said that he would go in the strength of God and make mention of Him only.   As Christians, as we go about our everyday life, we need to go under God's power and to always give Him the credit for everything good in our life. Verse seventeen continues, O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.  David said that God had taught him from his youth and that he had declared God's wonderous works since then.  We may or may not have been a follower of Christ since our youth, but no matter how long we have been, we must always declare God's wonderous works to the world.  Verse eighteen states, Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.  David asked that God not forsake him now that he was old and grayheaded, but that he be allowed to continue to tell and show the future generations about God's power.  No matter how old we may be as Christians, we still have the commission to share the gospel with the next generations, and God will never forsake us as we do so.  Verse nineteen adds, Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!  David declared God's righteousness to be very high and said that He done great things that no one else could do.  We as Christians serve an all powerful and righteous God, and it is through the righteousness of Christ alone that we are made righteous before God.  There is no other God but Him.  Verse twenty continues, Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.  David said that even though God had allowed him to suffer great troubles that even when he died that God would raise him up again.  No matter how many troubles we face in life as Christians, even if we die for our faith or for any other reason, God will one day raise us up from the grave.  Verse twenty-one says, Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.  Like David said then, God increases our greatness by giving us everlasting life when we put our faith in Jesus Christ.   Verse twenty-two adds, I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.  David said he would sing praises to God and so should we.   Verse twenty-three continues, My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.  David said his lips would greatly sing the praises of God, because God had redeemed his soul.  David did not speak about his position or material wealth as a reason to praise God, but of the fact that God had saved his soul.  This should be our reason for praising God today.  Through our faith in Jesus Christ  our soul has been redeemed.   Verse twenty-four continues, My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.  David said that he would speak of God's righteousness all day long, because those who sought to bring him to shame were confounded, or confused.  We should likewise proclaim God's righteous all day long, because those who deny Him and maybe even attempt to harm us are spiritually confounded or confused.  We must tell them of the righteousness of God and the mercy that He has shown by sending Jesus Christ to die for our sins and make salvation possible.