Reflection on Psalm 59:2
“Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men.”
David wrote this psalm when Saul guarded the house to kill him. “Saul sent messengers to David’s house to watch him and to kill him in the morning. And Michal, David’s wife, told him, saying, ‘If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.’ So Michal let David down through a window. And he went and fled and escaped. And Michal took an idol and laid it in the bed, put a cover of goats’ hair for his head, and covered it with clothes. So when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, ‘He is sick.’ Then Saul sent the messengers back to see David, saying, ‘Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.’ And when the messengers had come in, there was the idol in the bed, with a cover of goats’ hair for his head… So David fled and escaped, and went to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and stayed in Naioth. Now it was told Saul, saying, ‘Take note, David is at Naioth in Ramah!’ Then Saul sent messengers to take David. And when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as leader over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.”
Saul had a murderous intent, and God’s grace had already departed from him. He sent messengers again the second and third time, and they prophesied also. They did not bring David. Finally, Saul went there himself, and he prophesied likewise. However, God humbled him, and he lay down naked all that day and all that night, much to his shame. David now fled from Naioth in Ramah.
Secular or ecclesiastical authorities may be likened to Saul. God entrusted them with power, or allowed them to be in power, but they act contrary to justice. They abuse their power to kill the righteous – martyrs for God and God’s laws.
To some extent, America has found itself in such a situation before Christmas. And not only America, but also the whole Christian world and the whole world in general. We are faced with a depopulation plan, which involves so-called testing, vaccination, chipping, and finally death and the lake of fire. So not only when we recite the word of life seven times a day, but more often can we pray in our thoughts from the bottom of our heart: “Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloodthirsty men.” And God will deliver us by His Spirit as He delivered David from the bloodthirsty Saul and just as He also delivered the Child Jesus from the power-hungry Herod.
The Psalm continues: “For look, they lie in wait for my life; the mighty gather against me, not for my transgression nor for my sin, O Lord. They run and prepare themselves through no fault of mine. Awake to help me, and behold!” (v.3-4) “For the sin of their mouth and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for the cursing and lying which they speak.” (v.12) “But I will sing of Your power; yes, I will sing aloud of Your mercy in the morning; for You have been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.” (v.16)
At Christmas, we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, who is not only a defenceless child, but also Almighty God! On the day of Christ’s birth, the angels declared great joy to the shepherds, and to all people of good will: “There is born to you this day a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” The traditional Christmas greeting says: “Christ is born!” Let us open our hearts to Him through repentance, that He may be born anew in our souls.
Download: Reflection on Psalm 59:2
The Byzantine Catholic Patriarchate (BCP) is a community of monks, priests and bishops living in monasteries. The BCP is headed by Patriarch Elijah with two Secretary Bishops, +Timothy and +Methodius. The BCP arose from the need to defend the fundamental Christian truths against heresies and apostasy. It does not recognize pseudo Pope Bergoglio and is not subordinate to him.
