A Look at Psalm 119:69
Pray... even for your enemies
Psalm 119:69 “Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.”
The word “precepts” generally means “instruction.” “Instructions for living” can be expressed as “precepts.” As children of God, we have been given instructions through the Word of God as to how we should conduct our lives.
Jesus, the living Word, is our supreme example. When He was smeared with lies before Pilot, His response was to not react at all. He knew His Heavenly Father would ultimately take care of things and that vengeance was the Lord’s, not His.
Jesus did, however, respond to their smears. He prayed,
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” Luke 23:34. Jesus prayed for forgiveness of those who smeared Him. Long before He ever went to the cross, Jesus taught us to pray for our enemies. In
Matthew 5:43-44 we read,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemies.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Pray for our enemies! That’s a tough precept to follow when we feel we have been smeared. The great lesson here, though difficult to learn, is that life does not revolve around us (you or me)… just let that settle in your heart & mind for a moment. God is the center of life, and obedience to Him is our highest call. The biggest problem we have with following God’s precepts is in the humility it takes to follow them when we feel our rights have been violated. Not until our hearts want what God wants will we be able to follow Him at all times.
David said, “I keep your precepts with all my heart.” In essence he was saying, ‘Your precepts describe who I am,” because the heart of a person is who they really are. If you want to see into the heart of David, look at the precepts of God. David was a man who meditated on the Word of God, a man full of mercy. God’s precepts detail David’s life.
Take some time to let this verse sink in – chew/meditate on it; ask God to help you in your obedience.
Continued
