BULLIES (Psalm 35)

Harass these hecklers, God, punch these bullies in the nose.
Grab a weapon, anything at hand; stand up for me! (Psalm 35:1-2, MSG)

The use of the word "bullies" in Psalm 35 grabbed my attention. Talk about a hot-button topic! Bullying certain qualifies.

Of course, David wasn't talking about schoolyard bullies. He meant very real enemies who couldn't wait to make fun of him and take advantage of him when he was feeling ill (or otherwise struggling. The exact nature isn't made clear).

But bullies are bullies, whatever century or age. I looked what for contemporary advice on dealing with bullies. This is what I gleaned from the website http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/emotion/bullies.html#:

don't give bully a chance--stand tall and be brave--feel good about you

find a buddy--ignore the bully--stand up for yourself

don't bully back--don't show your feelings--tell an adult

Hmm. Some of the advice rings true with David. Some doesn't.

Stand tall and be brave? Can you imagine David doing anything else? But "don't show your feelings"? Solomon might have managed it, but not David.

Don't bully back? Come to think of it, this is the man who spared Saul's life when the king was trying to kill him. Then, as now, he asked God to bully his enemies instead. The primitive part of me cheers at his words, "punch these bullies in the nose."

Calling on God for help qualifies as telling an adult.

In our world, calling on a more powerful ally might result in a temporary advantage but a longer-lasting feud.

God doesn't work like that. He will always be stronger. As the verse I quote below says, "In his largeness nothing gets lost."

Do you ever feel bullied? Occasionally I feel that way about workers here. Bullied or pacified but not taken seriously.

Maybe after I talk to the administrator--I should ask God to punch worker in the nose.


Today's favorite verse:
God's love is meteoric,his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost;

Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. (Psalm 36:5-6)