Complaint To Praise



Psa 109:7  When he's judged, let the verdict be, "Guilty," and when he prays, let his prayer turn to sin. 

	There was an unfortunate life experience that inspired the prayer of Psalm 9. Betrayed and falsely 

accused by a close friend, David was full of detailed thoughts of what should happen to him. Though he had 

trusted and loved him, this former friend was now cursing David and telling lies that were bringing great trials 

and danger upon him. Completely consumed with his unjustified attacks, David was bringing a prayer to 

God for the complete demise of this person and his family. He prayed that he would die an early death, 

making widows and orphans, that they would lose everything they owned and become bankrupt, and that 

they would be completely covered in curses. He even prayed that satan would be sent to bring all this evil on 

him. 

	It seemed to David that in doing all this destruction God would be proving his love and 

demonstrating righteousness. Verses 22-25, though, reveal what took place inside David as a result of this 

preoccupation with his betrayal:


Psa 109:22  I'm at the end of my rope, my life in ruins. 

Psa 109:23  I'm fading away to nothing, passing away, my youth gone, old before my time. 

Psa 109:24  I'm weak from hunger and can hardly stand up, my body a rack of skin and bones. 

Psa 109:25  I'm a joke in poor taste to those who see me; they take one look and shake their heads. 


	By dwelling on what had been done to him and praying for destruction upon the perpetrator, David 

was actually bringing oppression and depression upon himself. For some reason this situation was bigger to 

David than all the animals, elements, giants and enemies that had come before. This situation was bigger 

than Goliath to him and his response wasn't initial proclamation of the strength and overcoming ability of 

God to deliver, it was curses and cries for help. Somehow this attack came to David in a place where he was 

vulnerable, in a personal realationship where he had trusted and loved someone. He might have better 

understood and related to a field of battle and the direct attacks of a declared enemy, but when the 

undermining came from within his own leadership it was more personal and became a more effective 

weapon than any that had been used against him prior to this. While this mulling over of his predicament 

and praying for the destruction of the man that brought this on him was actually damaging his own 

confidence and self-image, in allowing this to be an honest expression before God, he was able to give his 

situation to God. Rather than allowing this to be a personal exercise that would continually eat away at him, 

there was a release for him in bringing it to God and allowing it to become God's situation rather than just 

his. 


Psa 109:30  My mouth's full of great praise for GOD, I'm singing his hallelujahs surrounded by crowds, 

Psa 109:31  For he's always at hand to take the side of the needy, to rescue a life from the unjust judge. 


	David's way past the pain and destruction that had come against him wasn't in remaining in that 

place of bitterness where curses filled his mouth, but it was found in these last two verses where the praises of 

his God replaced those curses. From the depths of despair that thoughts of his betrayal inflicted, he was lifted 

by a vision of victory as his praises allowed God to take His place of dominance  once more. 

	As God is allowed to be a part of our every moment, even when there is a particularly painful or 

difficult one that comes our way, the darkness of that moment will be turned to light as our complaint is 

turned to praise. His presence, when acknowledged, will bring content for the mouth that will always make 

the way to victory, first for the soul and then for the situation. 


2/10/04