Let God Do the Avenging

# 362 - Today's Du-votional comes from: 1Sa 26:7-10, “ So David and Abishai came to the people by night; and there Saul lay sleeping within the camp, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head. And Abner and the people lay all around him. 8 Then Abishai said to David, "God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!" 9 And David said to Abishai, "Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the LORD'S anointed, and be guiltless?" 10 David said furthermore, "As the LORD lives, the LORD shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. " (1 Sam 26:7-10) Once again the Bible reminds us to honor those whom the Lord has placed in authority over us. If they have abused their authority, don't worry God will take care of them in due time. But there's something else here I think is worth noting, you'll find it in verse 9 when David tells Abishai, “Do not destroy!” Where have we heard this phrase before? Have you ever been to a coffee house concert and the artist will relate a personal story on how God gave them a song about it? I'm guessing here that David restrains Abishai by reminding him of a song David once wrote called “Do Not Destroy.” You'll find the song in Psalm 58. I don't have time here to read the entire Psalm, but it is introduced with the same words that David spoke to Abishai. Ps 58:1 says, “To the Chief Musician. Set to "Do Not Destroy." A Michtam of David.” In the Psalm David speaks of Saul's relentless intent to do unjustifiable harm to David, followed by a plea for God to intervene, and then finishing with the assertion that God will take care of this enemy: We pick it up in v9. “He (God) shall take them away as with a whirlwind, As in His living and burning wrath. 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he sees the vengeance; He shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked, 11 So that men will say, "Surely there is a reward for the righteous; Surely He is God who judges in the earth." Harassed by an enemy? No need to retaliate, remember David's song Do Not Destroy, and trust God. He will prevail over your enemies. “God guard me from actions with my hands or my lips that would destroy others. Help me to trust, that You will take care of any injustice in Your time.