Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,
for false witnesses rise up against me,
spouting malicious accusations.
Adversity is a part of life, and David knew it well. In this psalm, as David seeks refuge from war and violence, he cries out to God for deliverance from false witnesses. In addition to the physical threat, David’s enemies come at him with lies and slander- even his own parents have been turned against him (verse 10).
Nobody is immune from slander. When Jesus faced his trial, false witnesses we brought forward to condemn him. But Jesus did not respond with words, but by allowing God’s work, through his resurrection, to vindicate Him.
So too, David turns to God and His mercy, knowing that God’s path of truth is his only defense, and confident that the goodness of the Lord will prevail. When faced with slander and lies, we too are reminded to fight back not with words, but by living lives of truth by walking with our Lord.
