Psalm 35 - Tyre's prayer

God, in my bubble of relative safety and justice, it is hard to imagine praying this prayer. But, if I imagine myself as a black man only blocks from his mother’s house, pulled over and beaten without cause, I can imagine praying this psalm.

I can hear Tyre Nichols, along with David praying verses 15-21.

[15] But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered;
they gathered together against me;
wretches whom I did not know
tore at me without ceasing;

[16] like profane mockers at a feast,
they gnash at me with their teeth.

[17] How long, O Lord, will you look on?
Rescue me from their destruction,
my precious life from the lions!

[18] I will thank you in the great congregation;
in the mighty throng I will praise you.

[19] Let not those rejoice over me
who are wrongfully my foes,
and let not those wink the eye
who hate me without cause.

[20] For they do not speak peace,
but against those who are quiet in the land
they devise words of deceit.

[21] They open wide their mouths against me;
they say, “Aha, Aha!
Our eyes have seen it!”

And God, I could hear Tyre’s mom praying verses 22-26 as her son fought for his life over the next few days.


[22] You have seen, O LORD; be not silent!
O Lord, be not far from me!

[23] Awake and rouse yourself for my vindication,
for my cause, my God and my Lord!

[24] Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,
according to your righteousness,
and let them not rejoice over me!

[25] Let them not say in their hearts,
“Aha, our heart’s desire!”
Let them not say, “We have swallowed him up.”

[26] Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether
who rejoice at my calamity!
Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor
who magnify themselves against me!

But God, you did not give Tyre justice in this life. You did not let him see his vindication. But God, I thank you for a legal system that is pursuing justice for his family. So I do pray, along with David v. 26: “Let those officers be put to shame. Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor.”

And God, there was another child who was brutally beaten and left for dead. And you didn’t answer his cries for deliverance either. As a dad who lost a son, you know the pain of injustice. But you allowed your child to die so that one day there will no longer be injustice in the world.

Thank you.

Amen