David’s words reflect what would happen to Jesus, the Son of David centuries later. “Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question me on things I know nothing about,” is witnessed in Matthew’s and Mark’s gospels. “The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally, two came forward and declared, ‘This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’ Yet even then their testimony did not agree.”(Matthew 26:59-61; Mark 14:55-59) Luke’s gospel records lies the religious assembly said about Jesus before Governor Pilate. (Luke 23:1-2, 4-5, 13-17)
If I go about doing good and even perform miracles that benefit people’s lives as David (12-14) and Jesus did (Acts 2:22), I should not expect that they will return the kind favor. The probability exists because of our sinful nature that they will repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn (nearly hopeless). (12)
I learn here to not do good to get good in return. Dale Carnegie preached in his book that doing good for self-profit will be in my favor. If I do as he says I may be forsaken and deprived of hope when I stumble and others gather in glee and/or attackers gather against me when I am unaware. (15)
Jesus taught, “But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” (Matthew 6:3-4) Further to the point he concluded the parable about duty, “So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'” (Luke 17:10) Doing good to others is the human duty, not an advantage to self.
