Hear O God, For We are Despised - Nehemiah 4:4

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah went back to the city of Jerusalem and began to rebuild the wall. However, “it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spoke before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall”, and in chapter four and verse four of Nehemiah, Nehemiah prayed, “hear, O our God, for we are despised”, where we read,

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, 

and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:

The verse reads, “Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “Hear, O our God” or “listen, perceive and give heed O our, Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem's, Supreme Deity”: “for we are despised” which means “because, since and on account we, Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem, exist as scorned and held in contempt”: “and turn their reproach” or “and return and put forth their, the adversaries', scorn, rebuke and taunting” “upon their own head” which means “on their, the adversaries', own personal crowns or heads”. Nehemiah shared how he prayed to God again and beckoned Him to listen to him and the people of Jerusalem because they were scorned and held in contempt, and he asked God to return his adversaries' rebuke on their own selves. 

The verse goes on to say, “... and give them for a prey in the land of captivity:” Nehemiah continued with the words, “and give them” or “and set, bestow, grant, permit and ascribe to them, the adversaries” “for a prey” which means “as booty and spoil” “in the land of captivity” or “within the pertaining to country, territory, district and region pertaining to exile”. Nehemiah shared how he prayed for God to permit his adversaries to be a spoil within the territory of exile. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Nehemiah went to the LORD in prayer again when he encountered opposition and difficulties. We should learn from him. God wants us to turn to Him at all times in our lives, especially when difficulties and troubles arise. God loves us, and He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. Jesus was resurrected from the dead three days later, and now every person who yields their lives to Him as their “Savior and Lord” will be forgiven their sins, granted everlasting life and helped to know that He is available at all times to bring our concerns to Him. (See Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 5:7) 

Next time Nehemiah prays, “cover not their iniquity”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".