I am small and despised:
Yet do not I forget thy precepts (Psa 119.141).

“No man is an island,” it has been said. Virtually everyone is involved in a complex web of interpersonal relationships where we influence others, and others influence us—even people we do not know personally, but whose ideas capture the public imagination, or who leave the impress of their perspectives on their works of writing, speaking, engaging in commerce, governing, voting, and even making music. This communal reality is occasionally helpful, but so often in our perverse generation it works insidiously against our trusting and following Jesus Christ.

We must beware of groupthink, “a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics.”¹ Some people are like seat cushions who bear the impressions of the last person to sit on them. The rest of us, even the most independently-minded, are vulnerable to general conformity when certain attitudes and opinions seem to be held universally in the world.

Of course, not every generally-held opinion is wrong or evil. Most probably agree, at least in theory, that as a rule, you should be nice. Child molesters are rightly considered very bad. Virtually everyone knows that generosity toward the truly needy is praiseworthy. These are examples of popular morality which are perfectly consistent with the biblical revelation. That is why it is not safe just to oppose conventional wisdom and be contrarian. Sometimes the popular judgment is correct. Scripture alone is the immoveable foundation for all right thinking and godly living, so to it we must always resort when evaluating the culture with its beliefs and practices.

However, the world of non-Christians, even moralists among them, utterly disdains any zealous and uncompromising dedication toward our Lord Jesus Christ that calls them to evangelical repentance and faith. They think we are unreasonable and even dangerous to have firm convictions held only by a tiny minority. There is no love among worldlings for the holiness of God, the purity of his worship, and a life of self-denying discipleship in following Jesus. In these things we must push through the crowd and swim against the tide. Vance Havner said, “If you are under any illusions about the attitude of this world towards Jesus Christ, try really living for him for a week and you will find out!” As we take a bold and unpopular stand, even amidst nominal Christians, we will suffer their scorn. We will be sorely tempted to adjust our principles, making them more palatable, or to soften our testimony to truth from a confident shout to an apologetic whisper.

Our Psalm text for this meditation expresses a godly man’s resolve to live out the spiritual duty set forth in Romans 12.2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” The psalmist is saying, in effect, “Cost whatever it may, I shall trust and obey his Word.”

People like this exhibit a measure of praiseworthy spiritual leadership, even if only informally by their influence. “Thermometer people” simply adjust to others around them. “Thermostat people” set the temperature to which others tend to adjust. One exemplary Christian in the office place can suppress the habitual swearing that used to be heard all the time without uttering a word in opposition to it.
Men and women with a spine strong enough to stand for Christ amidst general ridicule have a powerful effect on others for good or ill. Some much weaker will be emboldened to join them and swell the ranks of committed Christian disciples. Others are provoked, first to irritation, then to ridicule and opposition, and sometimes even to oppression and violence. The church’s martyrs illustrate that God’s grace is sufficient to strengthen the resolve of saints even against those who are able to kill the body.

A DESPISED BELIEVER

He describes his condition with respect to what he was in himself and how he was viewed.

First, he testifies solemnly in prayer, “I am small.” This probably should be not be taken literally as if he were physically petite, but figuratively, to convey his relative unimportance or unimpressiveness in some way. When used of a group the Hebrew means there are few who compose it. When used of age it means the person is young, and in the ancient Hebrew culture that was associated with folly and little societal respect. When applied to rank it means one of low rank with little dignity. In this context it could loosely be rendered, “I am a nobody, unimportant, insignificant, worthless, and of no account.” Whether this was a statement of how the psalmist esteemed himself, due to a realistic and justified humility, or more particularly how others viewed him because they failed to appreciate his glory as an object of God’s special love and grace, is hard to say. The context probably suggests the latter. One translation taking it this way renders the word as “belittled.”
Second, he also testifies that he was “despised,” most likely to be understood not of self-loathing but of the personal animosity of others, the ungodly toward him. The paraphrase, “everybody calls me a nobody,” while not without some value, is too weak. The Septuagint version of this verse could be translated, “I am the younger and scorned,” perhaps alluding to David’s being overlooked when Samuel came by to seek a king among Jesse’s sons (1 Sam 16.6-11), or when his older brother Eliab was disgusted by David’s inquiring about the Goliath problem on the battlefield (1 Sam 17.28). More likely, it describes the general dislike and disapproval from the world experienced by all believers (cf. Acts 14.22; 2 Tim 3.12).

Never underestimate the power of vitriolic disapproval and ridicule to break your resolve as a Christian. Peter did, and look what happened to him! This is a spiritual snare for which we need much strength by the grace of God, strength which comes by our prayers relying upon God’s promises. Because Peter failed to “watch and pray” for even one hour in Gethsemane before he was subjected to these strong pressures, he fell.

Consider also that this verse stands as evidence that with God’s grace, a true believer can stand alone if necessary against all the unbelieving clamor.

A DEVOTED BELIEVER

“Yet I do not forget thy precepts.” The word “yet” in the Authorized Version is in italics because it has no corresponding Hebrew word behind it, but was added by the translators to convey the sense in their judgment of the original language. A more word for word translation reads, “Small I am, and despised, Thy precepts I have not forgotten” (YLT). His condition as he was in himself and how he was viewed by others did not overthrow his continuance as a student and keeper of God’s commandments. Even though “princes also did sit and speak against me,” he can say with a good conscience to the Lord, “thy servant did meditate in thy statutes” (v. 23). The adverb “yet” seems justified here, as his enduring faith is overcoming the hindrance of malicious opposition. He did not give in to the hateful disapproval he experienced from others as a faithful believer in God and Christ.

Persecution like this does not ultimately discourage, but energizes a wise Christian, because he knows he is walking in Jesus’ steps, and this is the way of the cross. This is the fire that purifies our faith and makes it shine like most precious gold. This is the devil’s unwitting contribution to our assurance of salvation. When the apostles were beaten and commanded not to preach anymore of Jesus, “they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name” (Acts 5.41). Persecution is a mark of our adoption as sons of God, and a harbinger of great rewards in the life to come. “To have two heavens is more than Christ had. Was his head crowned with thorns and do we think to be crowned with roses?” (Thomas Watson). “If you were not strangers here the hounds of the world would not bark at you” (Samuel Rutherford).

Such perseverance in faith against all the world’s opposition is no feat of human strength, but the fruit of God’s grace that comes through Christ himself indwelling the believer, still holding to the Word of his Father, and bearing a faithful witness before the perishing world. Christ perseveres in us who are true believers, and so we persevere. All real Christians are fundamentally despised and radically devoted to God, and it is well for us to engage in Spirit-empowered self-examination for the evidences of enduring faith, and to pray that we may more and more exhibit the character of Christ during our life in this world. The Lord help us in these things. Amen.

Notes:

1. MWCD.