What is the meaning of Psalm 35:22? O LORD, You have seen it “O LORD, You have seen it;” • David opens with confident certainty that God has already witnessed the injustice piling up against him. • Scripture teaches that nothing escapes God’s gaze—“The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, observing the wicked and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). • Because God sees, David knows the situation has been accurately recorded in heaven’s books (Malachi 3:16; Revelation 20:12). • This awareness brings comfort: “You have kept count of my wanderings; You have put my tears in Your bottle” (Psalm 56:8). • The psalmist’s first step, then, is not panic but recognition that God is fully informed. be not silent “…be not silent.” • Knowing that God sees naturally leads to a plea that He speak and act. • In Psalm 83:1 the same request appears: “O God, do not keep silent; do not hold Your peace or be still.” • Silence in the face of wrongdoing can appear like acquiescence; David longs for divine vindication, echoing Isaiah 42:13 where the LORD “stirs up His zeal” and “shouts aloud.” • The New Testament mirrors this cry when martyrs under the altar ask, “How long, Sovereign Lord…until You judge?” (Revelation 6:10). • We, too, are encouraged to appeal for God’s timely intervention while trusting His perfect schedule (2 Peter 3:9). O Lord “O Lord,” • The second address shifts from the covenant name (YHWH) to Adonai, emphasizing God’s rightful mastery over David’s circumstances (Psalm 8:1). • By repeating his appeal, David models persistence in prayer—“men ought always to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1–8). • The intimate tone underscores relationship: God is not a distant force but the Master who shepherds His own (Psalm 23:1). be not far from me “…be not far from me.” • Physical distance is not the issue; David longs for a felt nearness of God’s protective presence. • Similar language surfaces in Psalm 22:11—“Be not far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.” • God’s promise is steady: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5). The plea, therefore, is for experiential assurance, not a corrective of divine absence. • When believers face hostility, the Spirit bears witness that God’s nearness is real (Romans 8:16), and trials become occasions to prove that “the LORD is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18). summary Psalm 35:22 captures a four-fold rhythm: recognition that God already sees, a request that He speak, a reaffirmation of His lordship, and an appeal for His felt presence. Together these lines invite us to pray with confidence that the all-seeing, speaking, ruling, and present Lord will act righteously on behalf of His people. |
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