When You Feel Unjustly Treated
(My Shiggaion)
Psalms
7:1-16
In the Old Testament, Joseph is undoubtedly the person who experienced the most injustice. He was unjustly dragged to Egypt by his brothers and sold into slavery. Even in Egypt, despite his loyalty to his master Potiphar, he was unjustly imprisoned.
This was because he refused the temptation of his master’s wife. He must have felt incredibly wronged. He simply wanted to protect his master’s honor. Joseph must have been disappointed not only with Potiphar’s wife but also with Potiphar himself for not believing him.
It was an incredibly unfair situation. But if we think about it, wasn’t putting a slave who tried to assault his wife in prison a rather lenient punishment? At that time, slaves were treated like property.
Given Potiphar’s status, he could have executed Joseph on the spot without anyone questioning it. So, the fact that he only imprisoned him suggests that Potiphar trusted Joseph more than his own wife.
If so, why did Potiphar send Joseph to prison? Perhaps Potiphar sent Joseph to prison because of his “manly pride,” valuing his own honor more than the actual truth.
If that’s the case, Joseph must have known this. Therefore, even though he was wronged, it was tantamount to receiving recognition. He became an instrument to expose the wickedness of Potiphar’s wife.
Joseph had to endure this injustice to protect Potiphar’s honor, and therefore he didn’t fight to clear his name. If he had appealed, he might have actually been killed.
Instead, Joseph entrusted everything to God’s providence. Years later, Joseph rose to a position of power second only to the Pharaoh of Egypt, surpassing even Potiphar, the captain of the guard. Did Joseph seek revenge?
No. He was grateful that the truth had been revealed and that his suffering had ultimately saved his family from starvation during the famine. There’s a spiritual lesson we can learn from Joseph’s story:
The truth is, “What may seem bleak in the short term is actually the fastest shortcut when guided by God.” Although Joseph was unjustly imprisoned, the prison was also a shortcut to meeting Pharaoh.
This teaches us that when we feel wronged, we must fully trust in God’s providence, which is working out a larger plan. It’s a lesson to not try to defend ourselves.
It’s about knowing and acknowledging that God’s thoughts are different from human thoughts. David likely knew Joseph’s story well. He wrote a Shiggaion psalm, a passionate lament, expressing his feelings of injustice to God.
The exact meaning of “Shiggaion of David,” the title of Psalm 7, is unknown, but it’s understood to mean something like a “passionate lament,” “an enthusiastic song with passionate changes,” or a “dirge,” because the title of Psalm 7 states that it is “a song of David, which he sang to the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite.”
We too sometimes experience sleepless nights due to the injustice of baseless slander. Our personal honor is tarnished by unfounded rumors, our self-esteem is crushed, and we face a crisis of survival.
At such times, we tremble with the desire to assert our innocence and fight back. The passion to defend ourselves paralyzes our reason. This is the meaning of “Shiggaion.”
At this time, David declares:
“Arise, O Lord, in your anger; rise up against the fury of my enemies. Awake, O God, and ordain judgment! Let the assembly of the peoples surround you, and on high return to your throne.” (Psalm 7:6-7)
“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart.” (Psalm 7:10)
This is David’s firm confession of faith. It is a truth he learned through Joseph.
We are quick to complain and grumble even at the slightest offense to our pride. We cannot tolerate even the slightest inconvenience. This is our inherent tendency to sin. At this time, David cries out to God in prayer:
“Put an end to the wickedness of the wicked, and establish the righteous.” (Psalm 7:9)
He then uses three Hebrew verbs to offer a “prayer of surrender” to God (verses 6-7):
First, “Kuma” (Arise), קוּמָה, Kuma,
Second, “Ur” (Awake), עור, ‘ûr
Third, “Shuv” (Return), שוב, Shuv
He boldly uses these imperative commands.
This is like whistling while playing golf. Just as you might whistle when the ball doesn’t go well or the game isn’t going your way, when you feel wronged, you release your frustration through prayer and entrust it to the Lord—this is the “wisdom of Shiggaion.”
This kind of declarative prayer is incredibly powerful. My ears hear my own words, and my heart is strengthened. And God also hears this declarative confession of gratitude. “I will give thanks to the Lord for his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the Lord Most High.” (Psalm 7:16) And finally, God guides him on His path.
Do you feel wronged? Let us not forget.
Kuma (קוּמָה, Arise)
Ur (עור, Awaken)
Shuv (שוב, Return)
This is a declaration to stir up the help of the Holy Spirit within us, “to fan into flame the gift of God” (2 Timothy 1:6).
God the Father,
There is a “sighing” within me (us).
Be my (our) shield.
Arise within me (us), awaken, return.
Let the help of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of God, be fanned into flame.
I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
