^{19 “}Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
    Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.
²⁰ They don’t talk of peace;
    they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.
²¹ They shout, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

Psalm 35:19-21, NLT

Somehow, David is aware that the enemy will gain much by his defeat. It seems he stands at a pivot point, where his obedience and humility will cause issues that he never considered before.

He uses two definite and classic phrases– “enemies rejoice,” and “they cause gloating.” These are definite areas that have made Him so vulnerable and weak. He has given the enemy space to function here in these places.

This Psalm will continue to develop. But these three verses will declare a certain direction. It suggests how evil and ungodliness starts to flourish, and what it uses to make it work for them.

Commentary

V. 19, ^“Don’t let my treacherous enemies rejoice over my defeat.
    Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.

First, David’s enemies are “treacherous,” they means they betray, they deceive, and mislead. They do not understand faithfulness. They are definite enemies because of what they have decided.

Second, the second phrase becomes even more vicious than the first. “Don’t let those who hate me without cause gloat over my sorrow.” What is David thinking? I suppose we start with “those who hate me.” David is not the glowing central figure that we think he is. There are many loyal Jewish teachers who would make an issue of David’s adultery and subsequent murder of Uriah. He is hated by many.

But King David presses, “There is no cause.” All that they decide works in conjunction with the devil. Through forgiveness, David has uncover a gracious forgiveness, that has released him from these evils. Many just can’t recognize the release of David from his sins.

The word “gloat” is perhaps too closely related to “bloat.” This is a very negative, and a very poor choice of words. If I gloat it means I have incorporated pride/arrogance/ego with the things I choose to do. When I start gloating, I become pretty much lost.

V. 20, “They don’t talk of peace;
    they plot against innocent people who mind their own business.”

The works of these “scorners” are broadened to include all who profess a Godly hope. These rascals begin to target the innocent ones. The word “plot” is important as it does suggest an effort to bring down any kind of a Godly life they can discover. In a real sense they want to rip up anything that the innocent can develop.

V. 21, “They shout, “Aha! Aha!
    With our own eyes we saw him do it!”

This is everything that the liars and deceivers can produce. There proclamation of a “truthful witness.” I suppose this is someone’s direct witness to David’s terrible sin against Uriah and his wife, Bathsheba.

But I also think that very many took this up, and made it their personal vision. Although most had never saw the details, they too created an imaginary scenario that defied David, and made him ‘forgiven.’  And how can they follow such an evil sinner like King David?

*

ybic, Bryan

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