FIGHTING OUR ENEMIES

See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! — Psalm 25:19
Having enemies is nothing new for God's chosen people. From the time that Moses led the people out of Egypt, the Israelites have been surrounded, attacked, and persecuted by her enemies. So it should not come as any surprise that even today our enemies continue to attack us not only with weapons and terrorist attacks, but also with words and lies.

King David knew something about enemies. Did you know that 72 psalms — almost half the book — speak about enemies? David spent nearly half his adult life before becoming king on the run from his enemy, King Saul. And then after he took the throne, David was attacked by his own son, Absalom. Yes, David knew something about being surrounded by enemies, being hated by his enemies, and being lied about by his enemies.

And we can learn from David about how to deal with facing our enemies. David knew that battling our enemies can consume us. We can quickly lose focus and allow the tactics and the lies of our enemies to cause us to despair. We can become so preoccupied with the circumstances of our particular battle that we forget that we have the greatest source of hope, comfort, and protection — our Lord and our King, Almighty God.

David never forgot that. Even as he is praying for defense and relief from his enemies, David is totally focused on the One who can provide that for him. In the opening lines of Psalm 25, David writes, "In you, LORD my God, I put my trust. I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me." Despite having enemies who "fiercely" hated him, David remembered that it was God who would guide him, it was God who would release him from the snare of his enemies, it was God who would relieve him from the troubles of his heart and free him from his anguish.

David had the certainty of faith that God was ultimately in control and that God alone could deliver him — and Israel — from his troubles. Even in the face of such opposition and trouble, David affirmed, "My eyes are ever on the LORD."

Like David, we need to keep our eyes and our faith fixed on God. We need to acknowledge that the battle is not ours alone to fight. In times both good and bad, let us continually remind ourselves that God is in control, that He will deliver us, and that we can come to Him for comfort and His guiding presence.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein