It’s almost as if the Psalmist takes a “detour” in his prayer!
In the middle of his pleadings, he thinks of the “wicked.” And traces the trajectory of their “downfall,” according to the Word of God!
Watch what I mean. Here’s the whole Psalm, Psalm 28:
“Unto thee will I cry, O Lord my rock; be not silent to me: lest, if thou be silent to me, I become like them that go down into the pit. 2 Hear the voice of my supplications, when I cry unto thee, when I lift up my hands toward thy holy oracle. 3 Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts. 4 Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert. 5 Because they regard not the works of the Lord, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. 6 Blessed be the Lord, because he hath heard the voice of my supplications. 7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him. 8 The Lord is their strength, and he is the saving strength of his anointed. 9 Save thy people, and bless thine inheritance: feed them also, and lift them up for ever.”
The italicized and underlined words represent David’s “statement of faith” about the wicked. Apparently the King feels somewhat “threatened” by the very fact of ungodliness!
In yesterday’s verse, verse 3, David asked the Lord: “Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.”
Now today he continues the thought:
“Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.” Psalm 28:4
The prayer is NOT vindictive, either. He speaks of the unrighteous as a group, a “block” of errant humanity. No personal vendetta is seen.
In fact, the Psalmist is merely asking God to keep His Word! As is expressed later by Paul: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8
Paul also prayed almost the same words (as David did here) regarding a man who opposed the Word of God. “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works: Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.” 2 Timothy 4:14-15
So David is on “safe” ground in this part of his prayer:
“Give them according to their deeds, and according to the wickedness of their endeavours: give them after the work of their hands; render to them their desert.” Psalm 28:4
The plural pronoun “them” refers to the “wicked” or the “workers of iniquity” in the previous verse, as seen earlier. Their “deeds” summarizes their actions, in totality. Almost this idea, “their habitual patterns of life.”
And the parallel (corresponding) noun “endeavors” means “practices.” Things done over and over again, so often as to have become a “lifestyle.”
And the “work” of a man’s hands refers to his “desires, goals, productivity.” His “undertakings, achievements, business pursuits.”
And “desert” is almost our word “pay-back!”
Wow!
And look at the impressive array of verbs, all of them in concert: “give” once, then “give” again, followed by “render!”
This prayer, friends, WILL be answered.
In fact, it is partially answered every day!
And ultimately in the future, in what John calls the “Great White Throne” Judgment, all the wicked will be so evaluated! Here’s the record:
“And I (John the Disciple, exiled on a small island named Patmos) saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, (obviously the wicked) stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20: 11-15
Yes, David’s prayer is sure.
The wicked will not prosper … not for long.
— Dr. Mike Bagwell