“Rulers persecute me without cause,” says the psalmist. We might expect him therefore to be overcome with fear at this threat. There is, however, something he fears much more. He goes on: “but my heart trembles at your word.” It is a terrible thing to conflict with people, particularly powerful people, but it is much worse to conflict with God. This is the point he is making. While he is concerned about the injustice of these powerful threats, the psalmist is more concerned about becoming unjust than he is about suffering injustice. This mindset doesn’t take away the pain of the situation, but it does provide the focus that is needed to emerge triumphant from situations of conflict. One wrong will always lead to another. People feel, if they are wronged, that they are justified in returning wrong. But that only worsens our situation, because, in our response to injustice, we will have allowed ourselves to become unjust. The worst thing that could happen in a difficult situation is not that you would suffer some great evil, but that you yourself would become evil. You will recover from suffering evil, but when you become evil you will perpetuate evil and suffering in yourself and others indefinitely. However, if you respond to evil by doing what is right, you strengthen your character and you win more than you lose. This is the way of God.
Ask God to use present circumstances to make you a better person.
Read Psalm 119:161-168
