God and I against the World

God and I against the World

Psalm 119:49-56

Main Idea: In the face of persecution, commit to the Lord’s Word and hope in his promises.

One of my heroes from early church history is Athanasius (ca. AD 296–373). He was a staunch defender of the full deity of the Son of God against the Arians, who said God was a created being. Arians are the forerunners of modern Jehovah’s Witnesses. The story goes that when the tide appeared to be moving in favor of the Arians, a concerned colleague said to Athanasius, “Athanasius, the whole world is against you.” He quickly and firmly responded, “Athanasius contra mundum!” which means, “Then Athanasius is against the world!”

In stanza Zayin (?) of Psalm 119 our psalmist appears to feel much like Athanasius: the whole world is against him. The arrogant mock him (v. 51), and the wicked, who ignore God’s instruction (v. 53), seem to be everywhere. Yet one thing remains certain: God is faithful and will comfort him in his times of trouble (vv. 50,52). When everyone seems to be against you, verses 49-56 of Psalm 119 provide encouragement and guidance for how you should think and how you should respond.

Ask the Lord to Keep His Word to You

Psalm 119:49-50

When life is difficult, it is wise to pray and to flee to God. That we do not do it more quickly and more often indicates our depravity and reveals that sin has made us foolish. A hurting child, however, can always run to a loving Father, which is exactly what the psalmist does. There is only one specific prayer in this stanza, appearing in verse 49 (Boice, Living, 61). Interestingly, the psalmist does not ask for deliverance. He simply asks God to keep his word so that he may obey God’s Word (vv. 51-53) and sing God’s Word (vv. 54-56).

It Will Give You Hope (119:49)

The stanza begins with a prayer for God to “remember” his word to his “servant” (cf. vv. 17,23,38). This does not mean God, like a human, can forget. It is a prayer for God to be mindful of his word and to keep or fulfill the promises he made to his people. As Allen Ross points out, “The psalmist may be praying for a specific application of the divine promises to protect and bless” (Psalms, 510). The psalmist makes his appeal fully aware of the master-servant relationship he enjoys with Yahweh (vv. 52,55). This relationship gives him “a waiting attitude, a positive hopefulness” (Goldingay, Psalms, 402). He will not doubt. He has hope.

It Will Comfort You (119:50)

Those who trust in Christ have the sure and certain promises of God’s Word at their fingertips. When we do not see those promises immediately fulfilled, however, there can be doubt and disappointment. We ask ourselves, “Will God come through? Will he keep his promises?” God’s Word answers with a resounding yes! His promises are a source of hope and confident assurance (v. 49). God’s promises should also be a source of “comfort,” of consolation and relief (Ross, Psalms, 510). The psalmist finds sustaining power in God’s promises. There are troubles (“my affliction”) to be sure, but God will see me through them. His promises give me life-sustaining comfort. Spurgeon is right: “Comfort is desirable at all times; but comfort in affliction is like a lamp in a dark place” (Treasury, 240).

It Will Revive Your Soul (119:50)

There is power in the promises of God. One promise with power is that God will give life, revive the soul, and renew us with strength, courage, and resolve when we are afflicted and going through trials. Affliction is the boot camp, the training field, to make us stronger. Michael Wilcock puts it like this: “New life will always spring out of suffering” (Psalms, 201). Second Corinthians 12:9 wonderfully complements this verse. There our Lord says to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Suffering is not fun. It is, however, the place we discover that our God is sufficient, that he is enough.

Remain Faithful to the Lord and Hate Evil

Psalm 119:51-53

When I began to walk with the Lord as a young adult, I was surprised to find Bible verses like Proverbs 6:16-19. My mother had wisely taught me that I was always to love and never to hate. It was a revelation to discover that the Bible says,

The Lord hates six things;

in fact, seven are detestable to him:

arrogant eyes, a lying tongue,

hands that shed innocent blood,

a heart that plots wicked schemes,

feet eager to run to evil,

a lying witness who gives false testimony,

and one who stirs up trouble among brothers.

To hate evil is a good thing because it reflects God’s own reaction and response when the wicked reject his instruction (v. 53). Living in a fallen, broken, and sinful world, we should not be surprised by evil and wickedness. Sometimes it is the general evil that happens in the world as in verse 53; other times it can be close and even personal as in verses 51-52.

Know that the Arrogant Will Scorn You (119:51-52)

The psalmist says that “the arrogant” (CSB), “the insolent” (ESV), and “the proud” (NLT) “constantly ridicule me.” The Message says that they “ridicule me without mercy.” The verb “ridicule” could also be translated as “mock.” It is related to the word “mockers” in Psalm 1:1. Unbelievers who mock God also mock God’s servant. They make fun of him for loving and obeying a God no one can see and who, in their opinion, is not there. Nevertheless, because God has been faithful to keep his word in the past, the psalmist will not turn away from obeying God’s Word (v. 51). When he calls to mind the ancient words (“judgments from long ago,” v. 52) that have stood the test of time, he will find comfort in them and the God who gave them (Ross, Psalms, 511). Scoffers should not drive us away from our God; they should drive us to our God. God’s Word is eternal, true, and reliable. We can and should take comfort in that!

Know that the Wicked Care Nothing for God’s Word (119:53)

The wicked mock the man of God. The wicked also reject and disrespect the Word of God. Such disregard for the infallible and inerrant Word of God seizes the psalmist with righteous indignation. The Message paraphrases, “I’m beside myself with anger.” The NLT says, “I become furious with the wicked.” The CSB says, “Fury seizes me because of the wicked.” To have access to such a treasure, such riches, yet ignore and deride them are the actions of a fool. It is evil and wicked. Jesus said that a person lives by every word of God (Matt 4:4). To walk away from them is to choose the way of death. The psalmist is horrified by such behavior. The wicked have not ultimately offended him; they have offended God.

Sing to the Lord as You Go through Difficult Times

Psalm 119:54-56

Christianity is a singing religion. We inherited it from our Jewish forefathers, but life in Christ causes us to carry it to a whole new level. Throw us in jail, and we will sing (Acts 16:25). Let us gather as a community of faith in a cave, in the fields, or in a small home, and we will teach and encourage one another “through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs” and with gratitude in our hearts to God (Col 3:16; cf. also Eph 5:19).

Rejoice in the Lord (119:54)

God’s Word is a source of joy and singing for believers. His “statutes are the theme of my song” all my life. God’s Word is the content of our songs, and God’s Word is the inspiration of our songs. Wherever we live and wherever we go, we will sing to our Savior for who he is and all that he has done. As resident aliens on this earth (v. 19), we are just passing through in this life. This world is not our home, but we should praise our Lord while we are here.

Christians have brothers and sisters all over the world suffering opposition and persecution. Many have found themselves in prison for following Jesus. How does God sustain them? Three things stand out from their testimonies: (1) prayer, (2) memorized Scripture, and (3) songs in their heart language (see Ripken, The Insanity of God, ch. 19). Singing provides sustaining strength to press on.

Meditate on His Name (119:55)

The psalmist says he will remember the name of the Lord (Yahweh) in the night. The idea is that the psalmist will be mindful and meditate on his name when he lies on his bed. However, the phrase could have a second meaning intended by the psalmist. “In the night” could also connote that darkness is in his life.

Perhaps the psalmist uses the concept of night like the apostle John in his Gospel. When Judas left the last supper to betray our Lord, John says, “And it was night” (John 13:30). It was night literally, yes, but it was also night theologically as the powers of darkness came against the Lord Jesus. On that night our Lord was obedient to fulfill the Scriptures that predicted his passion and death. He kept the Father’s law. Meditation on God’s Word in our darkest hour is sure to strengthen and sustain us. The Word of God will guide us to his name, and his name will take us to the Lord himself.

Enjoy His Blessings (119:56)

Derek Kidner is right: “Although obedience does not earn these [God’s] blessings, it turns us round to receive them” (Psalms, 425). Our stanza closes with words that are the “sum of the matter” (Ross, Psalms, 513). The psalmist has kept the Lord’s precepts. He has obeyed the Word of God. According to the ESV, this happened because “this blessing has fallen to me,” which is perhaps a reference to obeying the Word (v. 56b) or to the ability to sing when times are tough (v. 54). The CSB, in contrast, says, “This is my practice: I obey your precepts.” The idea of blessing or reward is more likely. The reward of obedience is more obedience. The blessing of faithful service is more faithful service (Wilcock, Psalms, 201). Spurgeon beautifully says,

He had this comfort, this remembrance of God, this power to sing, this courage to face the enemy, this hope in the promise, because he had earnestly observed the commands of God, and striven to walk in them. We are not rewarded for our works, but there is a reward in them. Many a comfort is obtainable only by careful living: we can surely say of such consolations, “This I had because I kept thy precepts.” (Treasury, 242)

Conclusion

Athanasius is a hero from early church history. William Wilberforce (1759–1833), who helped abolish slavery in England, is a hero from the modern day. He faced great opposition and many defeats in his battle against the evil slave-trade industry. Several times he became so discouraged he thought of quitting. On February 24, 1791, he received a letter from John Wesley that would move him to stay in the fight. Its words echo Psalm 119:49-56 and draw from the example of the great Athanasius. A portion reads,

Unless the divine power has raised you up to be as Athanasius contra mundum, I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise in opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But if God is with you, who can be against you? Are all of them stronger than God? O be not weary of well doing! Go on, in the name of God in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it. (Metaxas, Amazing Grace, 144)

If God is with us against the world, it is more than enough.

Reflect and Discuss

1. Is deliverance from difficulty or persecution always your ultimate need? Why or why not? If not, what is your ultimate need?
2. What is the hope God’s people have that allows them to endure persecution?
3. What are some ways God has comforted you during difficulties in your life?
4. How often does God’s comfort come through other people? How does this change how you will act when you see someone else experiencing difficulty?
5. What can you learn through suffering that you are not able to learn when life is comfortable?
6. Do the people around you generally reject or accept Christians and Christian beliefs?
7. What are some teachings and beliefs in Scripture that the world ridicules? How should you respond to those who believe differently?
8. Sometimes Christians have held beliefs contrary to the Word of God (e.g., slavery and segregation) and needed to change when confronted. How can you know that your beliefs are truly from Scripture when the world confronts them?
9. How can you correctly express righteous anger against wickedness? What would unrighteous anger look like?
10. Do you know any songs or hymns that talk about persecution? If so, what verse(s) do you find encouraging in them?