Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20070121.htm

THE PREINCARNATE MINISTRY OF JESUS CHRIST
Part XXI: Christ's Work As The Avenger For His People
(Psalm 35:1-28)
  1. Introduction
    1. Being wronged by others is often a hard experience to face, for the greater the wrong, the greater the temptation we know to take vengeance against the wrongdoer.
    2. Yet, as great as this temptation may be, God calls us to let Him take vengeance for us, Romans 12:19.
    3. This lesson occurs in Psalm 25:1-28, showing the Preincarnate Christ is the Avenger of His people:
  2. Christ's Work As The Avenger For His People, Psalm 35:1-28.
    1. The Preincarnate Christ Who we learned in this series appeared as the "Angel of the Lord" in the Old Testament is the Avenger for His people, Psalm 35:1-6; Ryrie Study Bible, KJV, 1978, ftn. to Gen. 16:10.
    2. In view of the context of Psalm 35, this ministry involves Christ's work to avenge wrongs done unto His people especially by malicious former supposed friends who His people had trusted and helped:
      1. David called upon the Lord to contend with those who battled against him, Psalm 35:1-3.
      2. By this contention, David meant for God to shame, humiliate and foil the attacks of his foes, Psa. 35:4.
      3. David asked God to cause his foes' own efforts to lead to their downfall, Psalm 35:5-8. In this section, David asked the "Angel of the Lord", Whom we know is the Preincarnate Christ, to drive his enemies away and to make their path slippery and frightening as the Angel of the Lord pursued them in their flight before Him, Psalm 35:5-6!
      4. Upon being delivered from such opponents, David promised to rejoice in God's help, Psalm 35:9-10.
      5. David's request was based on a need to see vengeance on wrongdoers who had repaid him evil for the trust and kindness he had shown unto them, Psalm 35:11-17:
        1. David noted that the foes he faced had been unjust in repaying him evil for good: (1) David's enemies had set forth false witnesses to entrap David by asking him leading questions on matters about which he knew nothing and could not adequately respond, making him look guilty, 35:11; (2) thus, they repaid David evil for what good he had done to them, causing him grief, Psa. 35:12. (3) David dwelt on the fact that he had done only good things to these foes in their time of need: ((a)) when his enemies had been ill, David had grieved and prayed for their welfare, but to no good for himself, 35:13-14; ((b)) yet, when David had faced hard times, instead of helping him in return, these people had secretly, maliciously, persistently gathered to malign and mock him, Psa. 35:15-16.
        2. David noted in his prayer to God that the unjust activities of such enemies against him had occurred for a long time, making the temptation to take vengeance especially sharp, Psalm 35:17!
      6. Finally, David found peace by leaving his need for vengeance for God to address, Psalm 35:18-28:
        1. Anticipating the Lord's intervention in the matter (in accord with Deuteronomy 32:35), David promised to thank God for delivering him out of the current crisis with his opponents, Psalm 35:18.
        2. Thus, David appealed in prayer to God to take vengeance upon his foes, Psa. 35:19-27: (1) he asked the Lord to hinder his oppressors from being allowed unfairly to gloat victoriously over him, 35:19. (2) He made his request in light of the restless evil acts of his oppressors, 35:20-25. (3) David asked God to shame and disgrace his enemies in their unjust deeds against him, Psa. 35:26. (4) On the other hand, he asked that his innocent supporters be able to rejoice in his deliverance from such foes, Psa. 35:27. (5) Finally, David closed his psalm with an expression of hope that he would one day persistently praise the Lord for His deliverance from the present difficult situation, Psalm 35:28.
Lesson: David trusted the Preincarnate Christ to take vengeance on his foes who had unfairly risen up against him when he in good faith had previously trusted their friendships and helped in their crises.

Application: May we leave all vengeance for God to handle, for (1) He can turn the malicious efforts of unjust foes against them to their own harm (Psalm 35:8), (2) He can do so though they have been allowed for some time to afflict us (Psa lm 35:17), (3) He can handle all the deceit and unrest such foes unfairly devise unfairly in order to entrap us (Psalm 35:11, 20-25) and (4) He can produce appropriate vengeance in a way that leaves us persistently upright and joyfully praising God (Psa lm 35:28)!