Our Defense

Psalm 59

My defense is God himself—

The God who loves me (Psalm 59:17).

The verse reads like a koan. Or a tweet. Terse, punchy phrases. A nimble response to a vicious attack.

David describes his adversaries as a pack of ravenous, feral dogs:

Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs 

and prowling about the city,

Human predators, snarling invectives,

drawn daggers in their teeth.

They think they'll never get caught (59:6,7).

I can't think of a better description of contemporary social media in which cowardly internet trolls hide behind anonymous online identities, spewing out poisonous screeds. Their bullying can kill.

But David had a ready response: He replied to each "tweet" with one of his own: "God loves me!"

Who cares what others say!

David Roper

3.16.17