ACT

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

¹ Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint;
preserve my life from the dread enemy.
² Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,
from the scheming of evildoers,
³ who whet their tongues like swords,
who aim bitter words like arrows,
⁴ shooting from ambush at the blameless;
they shoot suddenly and without fear.
⁵ They hold fast to their evil purpose;
they talk of laying snares secretly,
thinking, “Who can see us?
⁶ Who can search out our crimes?
We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.”
For the human heart and mind are deep.

⁷ But God will shoot his arrow at them;
they will be wounded suddenly.
⁸ Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake with horror.
⁹ Then everyone will fear;
they will tell what God has brought about
and ponder what he has done.

¹⁰ Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him.
Let all the upright in heart glory.

This psalm starts by asking God to preserve our lives by HIDING us from the secret plots of the wicked. This is one way God can protect us. Then it goes a step further, imploring God to SHOOT arrows at those who plot and plan against us. There is a belief here that God will ACT on our behalf, and that God will take action to protect us. The only difficulty with this understanding has to do with our inability to always seek the right redress in our prayers. (Where I would like God to be a bulldozer on my behalf, sometimes it would be better for me to have a strong companion on the journey.) But I still hope and pray that God does ACT to protect me.

Prayer

Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from the dread enemy. Let me know that you will not forsake me as I thread this frightening path. I do rejoice as I find refuge in your care. Amen.