Suffering With Joy

Vengeance is Mine

August 9, 2010

Last week I wrote about how hackers had cost me both money and peace of mind.  Admittedly, my first reaction was to think of some colorful curses like the well-known Arabic one: “May the fleas of a thousand camels infest your armpits.”  I even came up with a few highly applicable and intricate ones of my own.  But St. Paul writes in Romans 12: 17-19,

To no man render evil for evil. Provide good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men. Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.

It’s clear the Lord’s message is, “Forget about it and let Me take care of it.” Now that is not so easy, but it surely is best. After all, it’s a trillion to one odds that I would ever be able to get direct satisfaction from these predators.  But what of future wrongs?  Until we’re dead, we always have the opportunity for someone to work us over.  How can I develop the mindset God wants me to have so I can really let go and leave things up to Him?

As I was pondering these things, it so happened that my Bible fell open at Psalm 9B (10).  How this occurred I don’t remember, but it seems that the lesson was meant for me and I have been mulling it over all week.  Human nature hasn’t changed in the thousands of years since this prayer was written.  But this psalm surely can bring consolation to the abused and afflicted.  In fact, it describes daily life in a corrupt society we must all deal with and still stay Christian.  As you read this, fill in your own blanks to see how it applies.

1.  Why, O Lord, do you stand aloof?  Why hide in times of distress?

2.  Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted, who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived.

3.  For the wicked man glories in his greed, and the covetous blasphemes, sets the Lord at naught.  The wicked man boasts,

4.  “He will not avenge it”; “there is no God,” sums up his thoughts.

5.  His ways are secure at all times; your judgments are far from his mind;

6.  all his foes he scorns.  He says in his heart, “I shall not be disturbed; from age to age I shall be without misfortune.”

7.  His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.

8.  He lurks in ambush near the villages; in hiding he murders the innocent; his eyes spy upon the unfortunate.

9.  He waits in secret like a lion in his lair; he lies in wait to catch the afflicted; he catches the afflicted and drags them off in his net.

10.  He stoops and lies prone till by his violence fall the unfortunate.

11.  He says in his heart, “God has forgotten; he hides his face, he never sees.”

12.  Rise, O Lord!  O God, lift up your hand.

13.  Forget not the afflicted!  Why should the wicked man despise God, saying in his heart, “He will not avenge it”?

14.  You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow, taking them in your hands.  On you the unfortunate man depends; of the fatherless you are the helper.

15.  Break the strength of the wicked and of the evildoer; punish their wickedness; let them not survive.

16.  The Lord is king forever and ever; the nations have perished out of his land.

17.  The desire of the afflicted you hear, O Lord; strengthening their hearts,

18.  you pay heed to the defense of the fatherless and the oppressed, that man, who is of earth, may terrify no more.

Since Holy Scripture is of the Holy Spirit, these inspired words show clearly how God regards those who prey upon the poor. This psalm is both a caution never to throw in with evildoers, and a consolation to the oppressed. If our eyes are unwaveringly fixed on God, the evil men of this world and the demons of hell behind them cannot terrify us.  Yes, I trust in God to deal with the hackers, scammers, murderers, liars and thieves in life as St. Paul urged, and will pray this psalm often that they be prevented from harming others.  I pray also never to be their useful idiot.

Tags: psalms, trust in God