INTRODUCTION

David not only prayed that the Lord would watch over his safety, he also prayed the Lord would hinder the efforts of the wicked. He requested that God would not only not grant the desires of the wicked, but that He would return the mischief of the wicked upon their own heads. Along this vein, he prayed that the evil conceived by the wicked might "hunt the violent man to overthrow him." He spoke of a similar theme when he sang of the wicked, "His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate" (Psalm 7:16His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate.
See All...). David knew the only reward eventually yielded by violence was the return of violence upon the offender.

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS

• (For smaller children) Read what the Bible has to say about the wicked (Proverbs 11:5The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
  See All...b; Proverbs 26:27Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.
  See All...). Consider the following examples: Adoni-bezek (Judges 1:5-7 [5] And they found Adonibezek in Bezek: and they fought against him, and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites. [6] But Adonibezek fled; and they pursued after him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and his great toes. [7] And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table: as I have done, so God hath requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died.
  See All...); Ahab (1 Kings 21:19And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.
  See All...; 1 Kings 22:34-35 [34] And a certain man drew a bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host; for I am wounded. [35] And the battle increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the midst of the chariot.
  See All..., 38); Haman (Esther 5:14Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and to morrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.
  See All...; Esther 7:10So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king's wrath pacified.
  See All...).
• Have you ever heard the statement, "What goes around, comes around"? How is that similar to "whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
  See All...)? How is the principle confirmed in the issue of violence?
• Have you been violent with others? How could this bring violence into your own life? What should you do to stop the cycle?

PRAYER NEEDS

• Ask God to forgive you for times of violence.
• Ask the Lord to help you apologize if you have wronged others.

HYMN

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

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