Praising God In Suffering

Psalm 140:9-13

9Let my enemies be destroyed

by the very evil they have planned for me.

10Let burning coals fall down on their heads,

or throw them into the fire,

or into deep pits from which they can’t escape.

11Don’t let liars prosper here in our land.

Cause disaster to fall with great force on the violent.

12But I know the LORD will surely help those they persecute;

he will maintain the rights of the poor.

13Surely the godly are praising your name,

for they will live in your presence.

Sometimes it’s hard to believe verse 12, that God “will surely help” the persecuted and “maintain the rights of the poor.”

Young Charles Simeon had reason to question that verse, too. A recent graduate of Cambridge, he had been installed as rector of the Church of the Holy Trinity in that college town, much to the dismay of his liberal-thinking parishioners, who couldn’t abide the evangelical preaching of this Bible-loving cleric. When the old-time members locked their pew doors to keep out other worshipers, Simeon put seats in the aisles. Then members came early and threw out the aisle seats.

Nicknamed Sims, Simeon was hooted at when he walked in the town. “I was the object of much contempt and derision,” he admits. One day he took a walk, asking God to guide him to “some text which should sustain me.” Opening his New Testament, he read about Simon of Cyrene, who bore the cross for Jesus. Simeon found this to be great encouragement indeed, partly because he thought they might have given Simon of Cyrene the nickname of Sims, too. “To have the cross laid upon me that I might bear it after Jesus. What a privilege! Now I would leap and sing for joy, as one whom Jesus was honoring with a participation in his sufferings.”

If you’re facing times of persecution and feel that you’re misunderstood, learn a lesson from Sims—or from verse 13 of this psalm—and start praising God.

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee!

E’en though it be a cross that raiseth me;

Still all my song shalt be,

Nearer, my God, to thee, nearer to thee.

SARAH F. ADAMS

Psalm at a Glance

Previously in this psalm (verse 3) the tongue of the wicked was spoken of as an instrument of poison, but in verse 13 the psalmist speaks of the tongue as an instrument of praise.

Bible Networking

God will restore his own (verse 12) and deal harshly with those who persecute his loved ones. Read Zephaniah 3:19.