Psalm 119:161
Princes have persecuted me without a cause:
but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
~ Psalm 119:161
Happy is the servant that can find blessings in the midst of trials. We are instructed, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2). David was suffering diverse temptations. Princes were his persecutors. These were men of high station and were supposed to be men of judgment and justice. However, they were persecuting David without a just cause. Where can one turn when the upholders of the law are the very violators of the law? Nevertheless, David found cause of rejoicing.
David’s trials had particular sharpness because of his persecutors. They were princes, men of high position. Yet, these were David’s peers. They gave him no respect, only reviling. “Princes also did sit and speak against me” (Psalm 119:23). Those of his own stripe, physically speaking, afflicted him. Perhaps, he sought understanding from those of similar standing. However, he found no comfort among them. Often those that are closest to us and those that we believe should understand are the ones that smite us the worst. Let some worldly unknown speak against us and we hardly pay attention, but let one that is close speak ill words and we are cut to the heart.
He suffered grievous trials being put to it without a just cause. He was walking in the right way and his enemies were multiplied. “Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:157). An honest man is ashamed when his accusers speak the truth, but when they accuse him falsely he is grieved. David had not solicited his present abuse. His enemies were malicious. Yet there is joy for David, even in the time of trial.
David found joy in the fact that his detractors were wrong. They had not anything true to say. They were reduced to make themselves liars. Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). David was blessed in the false accusations of others. He had no reason to be himself ashamed. He was suffering for righteousness’ sake. “But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:14). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Peter 4:16). In the midst of cruel mocking, David had reason to glorify God.
David was also blessed because his faith was increased. Though his enemies were multiplied, he said, “Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.” He was persecuted without reason and said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He was resolved to hold to the Word of Life, regardless of his enemies. They may delight themselves in worldly endeavors, “but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.” He had looked into the face of afflictions and could say like Paul, “But none of these things move me” (Acts 20:24). He would not allow himself to be drawn off course by these distractions.
David found greater satisfaction in the meditation of the Word than in the strife of the world. Many are sidetracked by debates and arguments. Some lose their way through needless self-defense, becoming obsessed with turning everyone’s opinion. The scriptures prophesied of Christ, “He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.” (Matthew 12:19). He did not occupy His time with politics, trying to make everyone like Him and agree with Him. The blessed man of God finds “his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). His friends may speak vain things and engage in unprofitable debates, but he declares of God’s Word, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors” (Psalm 119:24). David had joy because he believed, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).
Lastly, David said, “But my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” He had a very high opinion of God’s book. He delighted in its precepts and feared its judgments. The opinions of worldly-wise men did not shake his faith in the right statutes and pure commandments of God. The Bible has many detractors and opponents today. Some, having become wise in the eyes of men, lead others astray through their criticisms of the Scriptures. Others pervert the Scriptures to conform to their determined doctrinal bent. The man of God approaches His Holy Word with awe. He prays, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Let us remain in awe of God’s Word and hold to His unchanging testimony.
Consequences of Finite Knowledge
As children, mathematics is one area where we begin to grapple with the concept of infinity. Negative numbers add a completely new dimension to our world and we realize that numbers go on without end in all directions. It is amazing what little minds can do with that.
I had already been introduced to the infinite before I ever encountered it in academic textbooks. I was taught from birth about the eternal God—He Who has no beginning and no end. Isaiah said that God inhabits, or dwells in, eternity (Isaiah 57:15). I cannot say that I am any closer to comprehending this today than I was in my youth, but this is what is revealed to us by God in His Word.
Being infinite, God has all knowledge. So, there is no new knowledge possible for God. He knows everything about everything. It is not as though there is some scenario that He has not pondered. It is not as though He could find out something that would change His mind. Well did the Apostle ask, “Who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counseller?” (Romans 11:34). I recall hearing preachers ask, “Did it ever occur to you that nothing ever occurs to God?” While perhaps trite, that statement is nonetheless true.
Man, on the other hand, is a finite being. His knowledge is measured and limited. For this reason, he has the capacity to learn and grow. Obviously, the finite can never fully grasp the infinite. Let us ponder for a moment some of the consequences of finite knowledge.
Finiteness means that no man knows everything. We could further clarify that no man knows everything about anything. Not even in one subject can any man claim full knowledge (not truthfully anyway). One consequence of this is that there are different levels of knowledge—one man may know more than another in a particular area. One may know next to nothing in a discipline and another possess a large body of knowledge in that field.
Another consequence is that our minds are not closed, so to speak. We do not know everything about anything and new information is possible. New information can expand our understanding and even change our opinion. I am using ‘new’ as a relative term. There is ultimately no new knowledge to the infinite God, but there may be new knowledge to us.
Another consequence is that we must trust God. Some have supposed that we should test the various religions, experiment with the diverse ways, and choose the best for us. This is an impossible task given the multiplicity of religions and ways. We could only ever gain a limited knowledge of a limited number of religions and we could never actually be certain that we have found the best one. However, God reveals to us not only the best way, but the only way (John 14:6). We must believe and follow the bare Word of God. This is demonstrated in the life of Abraham. When God called Abram out of Ur, He told him to go to a land that would be shown to him. Abram obeyed and went, not knowing where he was going. He trusted and acted upon the bare Word of God without personally possessing all knowledge and that is faith (Hebrews 11:8).
Finally, finiteness for the Christian means humility. Let us not equate humility with vacillating. There is a great difference between saying no one knows everything and saying that no one can know anything. The all-knowing God speaks the Word of Truth and we can have complete confidence in what He has spoken. Humility keeps a proper perspective of our humanity and humility sits at the feet of a teacher to be instructed. Humility knows it is wisdom to know that we do not know as much as knowing what we do know.
