Psalm 119:161-169

Psalm 119:161-169

 

Psa. 119:161 Princes persecute me without a cause,

But my heart stands in awe of Your Word.

Psa. 119:162 I rejoice at Your Word

As one who finds great treasure.

 

Throughout this psalm, David refers to the people persecuting him. First, he has mentioned the unrighteous, then his enemies, but now he even identifies the princes or some rulers. It is a reminder that most of the time, persecution comes from the ones that are in a rulership position. In Jesus’ day, he warns his disciples that they will be persecuted and handed over to the rulers and kings – Mark 13:9.

 

Another time we read that the ruler of the synagogue was indignified because Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath – Luke 13:14. It was the rulers that sneered at Him and mocked Him when he was hanging on the cross – Luke 23:35.

 

When we get persecuted by someone who carries little authority, it is easy to brush it off. It is not such a big deal. However, it is different when someone that has the power to do something about a threat to our wellbeing or life starts persecuting us. Do we stay strong? David still finds his strength in the Word of God. There are so many stories about people that gave up on their faith and walked away in a time of distress or trouble. What will keep us when we face a similar situation? Will we remember His Word and stand firm?

 

 

Psa. 119:163 I hate and abhor lying,

But I love Your law.

Psa. 119:164 Seven times a day I praise You,

Because of Your righteous judgments.

 

David loves praising God. All the psalms David wrote testify to his ability to worship God in song. But, does David really do it seven times a day? In the Hebrew culture, seven is a sacred number. It represents perfection. It is a number that is used to represent God. In essence, David is saying that he praises God until it feels perfect. How many times do we think we are missing it and then give up. When the worship on Sunday feels off, do we still keep praising until we feel we have done it the best way we could do it? The key he gives us is the fact that he doesn’t praise God because of something he did. If that is true, we must always wait until God does something, and then we get to judge if it was Him. No, he praises God because of His judgments, His Law, His Word. Because that never changes, David always has a reason to worship and praise God. Never based on our circumstances but always based on who He is!

 

 

Psa. 119:165 Great peace have those who love Your law,

And nothing causes them to stumble.

Psa. 119:166 LORD, I hope for Your salvation,

And I do Your commandments.

 

What a powerful statement. When you have God’s Law, nothing else can make you stumble into fear and anxiety. In the midst of the storm, you can sleep, just like Jesus did. Outside factors do not influence the peace that God gives. He is bigger than your circumstances. When peace is more than what you simply know, and you begin to understand that peace is a person, then events fade in the reality of what He can do for you during your experience. There is a peace that surpasses our understanding.

 

Phil. 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

 

It is His peace. It is Him guarding your heart and your mind. When everything looks like a mess and like there is no good outcome, that is when His peace shows up. 

 

 

Psa. 119:167 My soul keeps Your testimonies,

And I love them exceedingly.

Psa. 119:168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,

For all my ways are before You.

 

Another key that David is giving us here is that faith is more than believing. I can believe for a great pension one day when I retire, but that is not happening if I don’t work. I can sit on my blessed assurance all my life and pray and believe, and I will not see it happen. Faith is taking action. Do something and watch your faith in action. David says: My soul keeps your testimonies, and I keep your precepts. Can you see how he is co-laboring with God? Faith without works is dead – James 1.

 

David loves God’s Law. It is almost his whole focus in life. When he is struggling, he remembers God’s Law. When he is persecuted, he remembers God’s Law. When he wakes up, he remembers God’s Law. When he goes through his usual daily stuff, he remembers God’s law.

 

We know that David is a man after God’s own heart. I wonder if it were because David had such value for God’s Word and commandments? 

 

In North Korea, people are shot not for their faith but for simply having a Bible. They love the Word of God. Do we value the written Word we have and the freedom to read and study it?