Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. -Psalm 119:39

May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. -Psalm 119:41-42

I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, for I delight in your command because I love them. -Psalm 119:46-47

The arrogant mock me unmercifully, but I do not turn from your law. -Psalm 119:51

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law. -Psalm 119:61

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. -Psalm 119:69-71

May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. -Psalm 119:78

The arrogant dig pits to trap me, contrary to your law. All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause. They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. -Psalm 119:85-87

So much! Right? Knowing that this psalm is mostly focused on the beauty and purpose of Scripture, it seems out of place to also find so many references to being shamed, disgraced, wronged or attacked in the same chapter. Use the internet to search and read several different summaries of Psalm 119, and I’m fairly certain they’ll all focus on the role of God’s Word in the lives of believers. So what about these consistently insistent mentions of opposition? 

I thought about this a lot as I studied the chapter. Why does the writer keep bringing my attention back to these negative things? Do you have any ideas about this? At first read, it can feel a little out of place. If we’re gonna talk about the beauty of Scripture, let’s just talk about that! Why keep bringing down the mood with talk of being slandered, taunted and smeared? 

Obviously I am in no place to question the Word of God… And I certainly am not trying to do that. But I actually love being in the position where I’m puzzled by something spiritual and can wrestle with it. Of course, I don’t just mean me wrestling with myself. When it comes to understanding the Bible, we have the privilege of wrestling with the Holy Spirit! When Jesus ascended into Heaven after His death and resurrection, He did not just leave us to fend for ourselves and try to figure out what everything means on our own. Right before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples about the helper God the Father would send.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. -John 14:26

What a gift! When we wonder about what certain words or phrases mean in Scripture or why they’re placed in specific contexts, we have someone to turn to. And what’s more, the Holy Spirit might make one thing stand out when you read a verse today, and He might shine a light on a completely different angle of the verse when you read it again tomorrow. 

So who knows, when I study Psalm 119 again a few months down the road, maybe the Spirit will impress into my heart 10 different reasons why a chapter about the Bible also includes so much talk about opposition and attack. But on this most recent meditation on this incredible chapter, the Holy Spirit whispered one possible reason into my heart. Perhaps there’s so much talk about opposition in a chapter about Scripture because Scripture is the antidote to opposition. When we face criticism and hostility, it can be easy to go into attack mode. What if we literally put our eyes on the words of the Bible instead? What if that was the attack mode of the believer? 

God’s Word has the wisdom and weapons you need to counter any and every challenge that comes your way. Whether someone is slandering, taunting, mocking, trapping, or trying to wipe you out, you can find the right counter approach in Scripture. His Word carries great power! Don’t forget, Genesis 1 says that God SPOKE the world into existence (with His words), and Revelation 19 tells us that He will take down His final enemy with His words, as well. So if His Word is strong enough for that, it’s strong enough for the opposition that rises up in your daily life, too. 

Don’t underestimate the power of Scripture. Don’t be surprised when a chapter that’s designated as a passage about Scripture’s beauty also includes mention after mention about spiritual and worldly attack. And definitely don’t shy away from turning to God’s holy Word as your main weapon in any and every circumstance. 

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. -Psalm 119:35