A WORD TO THOSE BEING PERSECUTED (Psalm 109)

The Bible says in II Tim. 3:12, “Yea, and all that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

One mark of true believers and the church of the Lord Jesus Christ is that, in every generation, it has faced some type of persecution.

Most of us have been spoiled. There is no other way to put it. We have lived such comfortable lives, even in our Christian faith, that we know very little of persecution. We hear about it and read about it in history books, but we have not seen it. There are some parts of the world where people have even been put to death for their faith over the centuries, but most of us have only seen and known this from a distance.

Yet the closer we get to the Lord’s return and the more intense the spiritual opposition becomes, the more convinced I am that God’s people will suffer persecution. I am not trying to be discouraging; I am just saying it is a reality. It always has been, it is now, and it will be until someday the Lord puts down every enemy.

That is why Psalm 109 is very significant for the hour in which we live. It is a psalm of David known as one of the imprecatory psalms. A friend recently told me somewhat sarcastically that one of his loved ones favors those psalms, which made me chuckle because they are all about praying against one’s enemies.

David was praying here not just concerning his own enemies but also God’s enemies. We must be very careful about wanting to make enemies and stir up conflict. But if we do right, trouble will eventually come because someone will hate what we do—someone who hates our Christ.

When persecution comes, Psalm 109 is a prayer you can make your own. I challenge you to read all 31 verses, but for now, listen to how it begins.

Verses 1-4: “Hold not thy peace, O God of my praise; For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred; and fought against me without a cause. For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer.”

Sometimes, the hardest enemies you have to deal with are the ones who have been closest to you. I am reminded of when the apostle wrote that the more he loved and gave, the more he was hated for it. That is essentially what David is saying here. He did not deserve the treatment he received from those he had loved. If it happened to David, Paul, and even Jesus Christ, do not be surprised if someone turns on you because you follow the Lord.

What struck me about Psalm 109 was the emphasis on words and what is spoken. There are actually three different people in this psalm who are addressed because of their words.

The Wicked

The psalmist mentions this in verse 2, referring to evil-doers who tell lies against him. If people lie about you, it is because they hate the truth. Words of hatred are motivated by an enemy who is filled with anger.

The mark of persecution is not always physical. Sometimes, it is emotional. Rather than being put in chains or martyred, it can be a living death where you are slain in your soul by what others do and say toward you. When persecution comes, you will always have to deal with the hateful words of enemies. But remember that they hate you because they hate your Christ.

God

His words are more powerful than any words a man can speak. This psalm begins with the words, “Hold not thy peace, O God.” The psalmist then says, “Lord, they have opened their mouths. Now, please open yours.”

God can speak and change everything in a moment. If you read and study the entire psalm, you will see descriptions of the persecutors and David's requests regarding what he would like God to do. He knew, as we know, that God can simply speak and take care of them. This is why Paul wrote in II Tim. 4:14, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works.”

In other words, instead of us responding in kind or trying to get some measure of revenge, we should let the Lord speak. Leave it up to the final Judge to take care of it.

The Bible says in Ex. 14:14, “The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” Perhaps you are tempted to lash out and strike back at the persecutor. Do not answer flesh with flesh. When flesh comes calling, let spirit answer the door. As James 1:20 tells us, “For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”

Maybe you are so frustrated that you are on the verge of anger and even retaliation right now. However, that will never accomplish spiritual ends or bring God glory. So, let God speak and say what you cannot say.

David

The psalmist mentioned a few things he would do with his mouth, neither of which involved talking badly about or criticizing others.

In verse 1, he noted, “God of my praise.” While the wicked were speaking, David was determined to praise the Lord while waiting for Him to speak.

I firmly believe that when we begin to praise, God begins to speak. There really is power in praise because God inhabits the praises of His people.

When you are facing persecution, keep praising God. Sing your way through the fire. I know it is easier said than done, but God will give you the grace to do it.

Read the stories of people who have suffered intense persecution, even to the point of death, and you will find that in so many of those cases, the joy of the Lord was their strength.

David also said in verse 4, “I give myself unto prayer.” You can praise, and you can pray. Don’t talk to everyone else about your enemies and your problems. Talk to God. He can do more about them than anyone else can.

The beauty of it is that when you talk to God this way, and He begins to speak, they have to be quiet. It may not happen instantly, but He will take care of the enemies. They will all be put down someday, and HIs words will last forever. Hold your tongue from fleshly reactions and respond instead with praise and prayer.

Verse 28: “Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.”

They may curse, but He will bless, and you can keep rejoicing. May the Lord give you strength during your persecution so that you can be faithful to Jesus Christ to the very end. Soon, God will speak, and it will all be over.