“Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me.” – Psalm 86:17
Comment: The defeat of Goliath, that giant warrior of the Philistines by David made the women of Israel as they rejoice to sing, “Saul has slain his thousand, and David his ten thousands.” (1Samuel 18:7). This statement incited Saul to feel that David wanted to take over the kingdom from him. He made several attempts on David’s life, chasing him from pillar to post. It even got to a point that while he was looking for David to kill him, he fell into the hands of David on two occasions. David would have taken the advantage to kill him, but he did not. -1 Samuel 24:1-22; 26:1-25
From that time on David ran away from Saul until Saul met his death. It pays not to take vengeance upon those who make themselves your enemy (Luke 6:27-36). Let God take vengeance in His time. David eventually became King of Israel instead of Saul as God has ordained and he reigned over Israel till grand old age and died.
The experience of King David abounds in the life of righteous men and women of God in God’s organization even in this end time. Let us learn from Jesus Christ what God has promised to do to those who hate the righteous. “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. – Matthew 13:41-43
Children or people of God should always remain focused on the practice of righteousness as admonished by St. Peter, to wit: “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. – 2 Peter 1:5-11; see also Rev. 3:10-12; Rev. 21:1,2, 10,11,24,26,27.
Prayer: Our heavenly Father, JEHOVAH! Help your children to continue doing things right in your sight despite the wicked schemes and machinations of the enemies of truth and righteousness and show us a token for good thro’ Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.