“Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me. Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for mine help.” (Psalm 35:1,2)
David knew what is what like to be slandered, misjudged, lied about. He was not paranoid. He had real enemies who sought his destruction. David was at his best when he wasn’t trying to defend himself, his honor and reputation. He called upon God to be his Defender and Advocate – to see and plead his cause.
There is a place of resting in God, where we, like Jesus, can be silent before our shearers.
“And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly.” (Matthew 27:12-14)
The world marvels at one who can maintain their composure under a barrage of slander. David knew the damage a false witness could do. He prayed: “Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty” (Ps. 27:12).
People can carry a vendetta toward us. They can be out to get us. They can twist our words and intentions, and accuse us of things we didn’t say or do. “False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not” (Ps. 35:11). Such malice directed towards us can stir up great indignation in us. David had to learn to take his overwhelmed and agitated heart to God. While holding his peace; he called upon God not to hold His.
“Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause.” (Psalm 109:1-3)
There is a difference between hatred leveled against us over nothing, or over something. Where we have done wrong, we need to open our mouth, and admit our guilt. God will not plead the cause of the wicked. But where we are not guilty, and being charged falsely, we need to commit our cause to God. He will take up the cause of the wrongly accused. “For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul” (Ps. 109:31)
When you have a good Advocate, you don’t have to press your own case. You can afford to be silent. He will stand up, and speak for you.