“Arise, O Lord, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword” (Ps. 17.13).

David here acknowledges that God did use the wicked nations around Israel as instruments of divine judgment upon Israel. They were God’s “sword,” or the means that He used to chastise his people. We need to remember that God can use whatever means He sees fit in dealing with us. The book of Judges is a story of repeated transgressions by Israel, followed by their being conquered by surrounding nations, followed by their repentance and deliverance by one of the judges. Those neighboring countries were the “switch” with which divine chastisement was delivered.

It is interesting that even though David bows before the justice of God’s providential dealings with him, yet he likewise prays to be delivered from it. In verse nine he speaks of “the wicked that oppress me;” and then prays for deliverance those same wicked individuals.

Yes, God does from time to time use the ungodly of this world as instruments of chastisement against his people. However, the correct response by his people is to repent of our evil deeds, fall upon our knees in prayer, and call upon God Almighty to deliver us from those hardships that oppress us.