I remembered thy judgments of old, O Lord;
And have comforted myself (Psa 119.52).

The misery of suffering persecution is, of all spiritual trials, especially dangerous to the soul. It can tempt us to wonder whether God really loves us, or whether He even exists. It can eventually beat down our resolve to love God faithfully when the price is so steep. Prolonged persecution, especially that which lasts over many generations, can make it seem that there is no end to the present, awful order of things, where the wicked triumph over the righteous.
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Thy testimonies also are my delight And my counsellors (Psa 119.24).

The psalmist has just testified of the dire circumstances he faced. “Princes” or rulers, people with power over him, humanly speaking, “did sit and speak against” him (119.23), bringing him to “reproach and contempt” (119.22). Hostile words, especially from our functional superiors (whether civil authorities, employers, teachers, parents, etc.), are apt to demoralize us and throw us into confusion with respect to our best response. Even the innocent can suffer a sense of false shame, as if he had done something terrible, and this may easily induce great and deep spiritual grief, especially to those who are most spiritually-sensitive. Further, knowing what to do in the face of such enemies is much more complicated than when we are living comfortably amongst godly people seeking our best interests. How can a believer escape these common pitfalls of being persecuted?
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