Destroy all those who afflict my soul

There is a cry that arises from the deepest places of human existence, a cry that words often fail to capture, a cry that only God can hear and understand. It is the cry of a weary heart, a heavy spirit, and an afflicted soul. King David gave voice to that cry in Psalm 143:12 when he prayed: “In Your mercy cut off my enemies, And destroy all those who afflict my soul; For I am Your servant.”

This prayer was not merely the outburst of a man overwhelmed by life. It was a prophetic petition that uncovers one of the greatest battlegrounds of the believer’s journey—the soul. David, who was both a warrior and a worshiper, understood that the fiercest battles are not always fought with sword and spear but within the unseen realm of the human soul.