Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - 2014 Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Reverend Wayne Palmer "The Lion's Roar" for Wednesday, 26 March 2014 - Read Psalm 109

Saint Louis, Missouri, United States - 2014 Lenten Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries by Reverend Wayne Palmer "The Lion's Roar" for Wednesday, 26 March 2014 - Read Psalm 109: For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David.
1 God of my praise, don’t remain silent,
2     for they have opened the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit against me.
    They have spoken to me with a lying tongue.
3 They have also surrounded me with words of hatred,
    and fought against me without a cause.
4 In return for my love, they are my adversaries;
    but I am in prayer.
5 They have rewarded me evil for good,
    and hatred for my love.
6 Set a wicked man over him.
    Let an adversary stand at his right hand.
7 When he is judged, let him come out guilty.
    Let his prayer be turned into sin.
8 Let his days be few.
    Let another take his office.
9 Let his children be fatherless,
    and his wife a widow.
10 Let his children be wandering beggars.
    Let them be sought from their ruins.
11 Let the creditor seize all that he has.
    Let strangers plunder the fruit of his labor.
12 Let there be no one to extend kindness to him,
    neither let there be anyone to have pity on his fatherless children.
13 Let his posterity be cut off.
    In the generation following let their name be blotted out.
14 Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered by Yahweh.
    Don’t let the sin of his mother be blotted out.
15 Let them be before Yahweh continually,
    that he may cut off their memory from the earth;
16 because he didn’t remember to show kindness,
    but persecuted the poor and needy man,
    the broken in heart, to kill them.
17 Yes, he loved cursing, and it came to him.
    He didn’t delight in blessing, and it was far from him.
18 He clothed himself also with cursing as with his garment.
    It came into his inward parts like water,
    like oil into his bones.
19 Let it be to him as the clothing with which he covers himself,
    for the belt that is always around him.
20 This is the reward of my adversaries from Yahweh,
    of those who speak evil against my soul.
21 But deal with me, Yahweh the Lord,[a] for your name’s sake,
    because your loving kindness is good, deliver me;
22     for I am poor and needy.
    My heart is wounded within me.
23 I fade away like an evening shadow.
    I am shaken off like a locust.
24 My knees are weak through fasting.
    My body is thin and lacks fat.
25 I have also become a reproach to them.
    When they see me, they shake their head.
26 Help me, Yahweh, my God.
    Save me according to your loving kindness;
27 that they may know that this is your hand;
    that you, Yahweh, have done it.
28 They may curse, but you bless.
    When they arise, they will be shamed,
    but your servant shall rejoice.
29 Let my adversaries be clothed with dishonor.
    Let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.
30 I will give great thanks to Yahweh with my mouth.
    Yes, I will praise him among the multitude.
31 For he will stand at the right hand of the needy,
    to save him from those who judge his soul.
Footnotes:
a. Psalm 109:21 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
TEXT: They open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion(Psalm 22:13).
In yesterday's devotion Jesus compared His enemies to animals -- powerful, aggressive, ferocious bulls. Now He compares them to another terrifying, wild beast-mighty lions with their mouths wide open, advancing on their prey with loud, frightening roars.
The Jewish leaders had long plotted Jesus' destruction. They roared loudly as they threatened to remove anyone from the synagogue who confessed Jesus as the promised Messiah (see John 9:22). When Judas betrayed Jesus they sprang into action. They arrested, tried, condemned and abused Him. There was only one man left standing in their way: the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate.
Pilate examined Jesus in their presence, and found there was no evidence to support their charges against Him. He was going to free the Christ until they started roaring. They bullied and intimidated Pilate, pressuring him to give in to their will and have Jesus executed. Pilate stood strong at first, affirming Jesus' innocence. But like the thunderous roar of lions, their loud threats and chants of "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" overwhelmed Pilate who finally stepped aside, washed his hands of the whole affair, and ordered the execution of God's Son.
Jesus has described His enemies as bulls or lions. They have the characteristics of wild animals, but they are all too human. Behind them stands Jesus' great arch-enemy Satan. In the beginning the devil worked through an animal, a serpent, to destroy mankind (see Genesis 3). Now he worked through these ferocious people to destroy the Savior of mankind.
THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus Christ, You stood all alone before such vicious people, yet You pleaded with Your Father to forgive them, "for they know not what they do." Forgive me my sins and give me strength to stand and tell others of Your great salvation. Amen.
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