August 11, 2008 - Suffering For Christ's Sake

Meditation on Psalm 69

This psalm expressed the intense feeling of a believer who suffered simply because he belonged to God. He suffered physically as well as mentally. His relationship with others was impaired. He worried what others thought of him and hoped that other believers would not be dishonored by his poor conditions. He felt like he was sinking in deep mire and in deep waters. All these troubles were due to no fault of his toward others. Yet he was persecuted and ridiculed by those who reproached God.

In times like that he could only cry out to God and wait for His deliverance. We don't blame him for his prayers of the destruction of his enemies. (v. 22-28)

The psalmist's faith in God preserved him. He maintained his hope in God's salvation for His congregation. His confinement was just an indication of being a prisoner of God (like Paul) in verse 33.

He knew for sure that God will build up all his saints to live in the city of God. (v. 34-36)

Jesus Himself while on earth must have meditated upon this psalm a lot. Couple passages in this psalm are Messianic. They described the feelings of Jesus during His ministry on earth and on the cross. Verse 9 (NKJV) says, "Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up" (also in John 2:17) Verse 21 described this, "They also gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." (also in John 19:28-30)

Since our Savior had experienced these kinds of suffering far more than us, can we sometimes endure reproaches for Him?